


The Convention

by CapaldiCrazy



Series: The Convention [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Beach Sex, Dirty Talk, Eventual Sex, Explicit Language, F/M, Foreplay, Light Bondage, Mild Kink, Mutual Masturbation, Nudity, Oral Sex, Phone Sex, Pool Sex, Romance, Semi-Public Sex, Sexual Fantasy, Shower Sex, Slow Burn, Smut, Swearing, Table Sex, Vacation, Webcam/Video Chat Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-03-13 14:53:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 58
Words: 135,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13572903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapaldiCrazy/pseuds/CapaldiCrazy
Summary: Clara is a school teacher, who has a crush on her favourite actor, John Anderson (Smith).  This is the story of what happens when your fantasy becomes a reality.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone. This is my first fanfic, so I hope you like it. I thought I would post the first chapter and see what happens. Please send comments and feedback. Enjoy.

All Clara wanted to do after a long day of teaching was sit in front of the TV and watch her favourite show, “Time Avengers”. A new episode was airing and there was no way she was going to miss it. Ever since she started watching three years earlier with her best friend Amy, she hadn’t missed an episode. It was a strange show about time travel and aliens, which had just the right mix of history and sci-fi. She wasn’t sure what drew her to it, but one thing for sure was her attraction to the lead actor. A sexy silver fox, with unruly curly hair and eyes you could lose yourself in. As she sat down on the couch with a glass of wine, a knock was heard at her door.

“Aghhh. I’m going to kill whoever this is.” Clara said out loud as she rose from the couch and walked towards the door. However, once she opened it her mood softened. “Oh thank god it’s you.” She said with relief as she stood aside to let Amy enter her flat. 

“Who else would it be? We always watch Time Avengers together. Well almost always.” Amy responded as she walked into Clara’s kitchen to help herself to a glass of wine.

“Except for the times you’re out with Rory, which tonight was supposed to be one of those times.” Clara answered as she sat back down on the couch.

“Yeah, I know. But Rory ended up having to work late at the hospital. So where else would I be, but here with my best friend to watch her drool over her favourite actor.” Amy said as she came out of the kitchen and made herself comfortable in one of Clara’s chairs.

“I DO NOT drool.” Clara protested. “I just simply admire. So what if I think John Anderson is hot and a good actor. There’s no harm in that.

“You’re right. I just guess you and I have a different opinion of hot.”

The show started and the 2 girls stopped talking so they could focus completely on what was happening. An hour had passed before either of them said another word. When Amy looked over to Clara to discuss the latest cliff hanger she laughed. “Well you may not drool, but the look in your eyes tells me you’re star struck.”

“Fine, fine, fine. I may be a little enamoured.” Clara replied.

“A LITTLE?” Amy questioned sarcastically and chuckled. “Try a lot.”

Clara got up from the couch to get another glass of wine. “I just wish I could meet a man that’s as good looking as John Anderson. Most of the men I date these days are immature prats, who wouldn’t know the first thing about romancing a woman. From some of the interviews I’ve seen with John, I’m pretty sure he would.”

Amy followed Clara into the kitchen and set her wine glass in the sink. “Oh Clara. One day your time travelling alien will arrive to take you on grand adventures. But until that day, perhaps you should think about taking Danny up on his offer for coffee. I don’t see the harm in it. You’re young, he’s young. You teach, he teaches. I can practically see the wedding now.” Amy moved towards the door and turned to give Clara a hug goodbye. 

“Always the match maker, Amy. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Clara said as she shut the door. She walked over to her desk, sat down in front of her computer and took a sip from her wine. Danny was a nice enough guy that worked with her and Amy at Coal Hill School, but he really wasn’t her type. She liked a man, and Danny seemed more like a boy. She turned on her computer and immediately started searching for new pictures of John Anderson. She would never admit it to Amy, but she was right. She was a complete fan girl when it came to him. She had practically seen and read every interview he had done and watched every movie and TV show he had performed in. She knew that he was born in Glasgow and that his real name was John Smith, but he changed it to Anderson because Smith was so boring. In university his friends started calling him The Doctor, for reasons he wasn’t really sure of, but it stuck and now that’s what most people call him. She would give anything in the world just to be in the same room with him, but sadly that will never happen. Clara sighed and shutdown her computer. Maybe Amy was right, she thought as she moved into her bedroom and got ready for bed. Maybe it was time she found someone in the real world and stopped fantasizing about someone completely unattainable.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the nice feedback everyone, it's really appreciated. Hope you enjoy this chapter too.

“And that’s a wrap.” The director yelled. Everyone on set applauded and started congratulating their colleagues on a job well done. John snuck away from the crowd in order to get to his trailer to take off his costume. He loved the iconic plaid trousers, t-shirt and hoody, but after wearing it for 15 hours a day he was more than happy to put something new on. As he arrived at his trailer he could see his co-star Missy Davros sitting on the step.

"Hello John." Missy said in a slightly sultry tone. She had been working with John for nearly a year now and had not hidden her romantic intentions towards him. John on the other hand had no desire to date a co-worker or another actor. He did that in his younger days and found the relationships were full of drama and tabloid rumours. He would much rather remain single then date another starlet diva.

"Hey Missy." John replied in a monotone voice, hoping she would be able to tell from his tone that he wasn’t in the mood for a chat. "Was there something you needed?"

"Yes. A date. And I'm not leaving until you agree." She stated rather matter-of-factly, not moving to let John into his trailer. 

John sighed and replied, "Missy, I've told you before I don't date co-stars, so please stop asking and move so I can get into my trailer."

Missy stood up and approached John. "Fine. For now. But one day I will get you at agree to a date." She said as she ran her hand down his arm.

John moved his arm away and started walking up the steps to his trailer. “Missy, I’m never going to change my mind so it’s best to just be cordial and keep this as a working relationship.”

As John was about to open the door, Missy replied “Mark my words John. You will change your mind.” And with the last word Missy walked off towards her trailer.

Once John was inside he checked his cell phone for messages and noticed that his agent and best friend, Donna, had called. He had met Donna early in his career, back when he was struggling to put food on his table and pay his rent. She had been starting out on her own as an agent and saw him in small theatre production of “Waiting for Gadot”. She was desperate for clients and approached him after the show. As luck would have it, John didn’t have an agent and agreed to sign with her. They became friends quickly and Donna proved to be very good at her job. She started getting him small parts in TV shows and movies, which eventually lead to bigger parts and then the role of a lifetime on Time Avengers. The show had been around for over 40 years and he had been a fan of it since he was a kid. Never in a million years did he think he would get to play the lead character, a regenerating, time travelling alien from the planet of Yerfilag. Once he landed this role 3 years ago, his life was forever changed. The popularity of the show went beyond the UK and stretched far around the world, which meant that John could no longer go out in public without being recognised by fans. 

John sat down on the couch and dialled Donna’s number. “Doctor.” She stated as she answered. Only John’s closest friends called him by his nick name, but about a year ago the press found out about it and started referring to him by it. At first he wasn’t happy as it was just a stupid nick name he got in university, but he had gotten used to it.

“Hi Donna. I just finished for the day and saw that you called.” He stated.

“Sorry I’ve been so busy I forgot that you’re still in Cardiff shooting. Everything going ok? You sound kind of tired.” She asked.

“Yeah, just a long day on set and I just had another run in with Missy.” John stated rather annoyed.

“Ah. Was Missy throwing herself at you again?” Donna asked.

“Yes.” John replied.

“Honestly, I don’t know why you don’t just give in and go on a date with her. I mean it’s been ages since you’ve been on one and even longer since you were in a relationship. I know River broke your heart, but that was years ago and it’s time to move on.”

John winced at the sound of his ex’s name. It wasn’t a good break up and he definitely didn’t want to think about it now. Trying to change the subject, John asked. “Did you call for a reason Donna, or just to remind me of my failed love life?”

“Fine. We’ll leave that discussion for another day. Have you heard of the London Film & Comic Con?” Donna asked.

“Of course I have, but what about it?” John asked in return. 

“They called and want you to be one of their guests. You up for signing a million photos?” Donna asked. 

“Sure. Why not. I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve done overseas, so it’ll be nice to do one close to home for once.” 

“Ok. Well it’s in a couple of months when you’re not shooting, so there shouldn’t be a conflict. I’ll go ahead and tell them that you’ll do it. And next time you’re back in London we have to grab a drink.” Donna said.

“Absolutely. I’ll be back in a week, so I’ll talk to you then.”

“See you soon.” Donna said as she hung up the phone.

John stood up from the couch and tossed his phone onto the table as he made his way to the back to change. He was really looking forward to going back to London next week for a short break. The show was shot in Cardiff, which meant that 9 months of the year were spent travelling between the port city and home. He didn’t mind though, since there wasn’t anyone waiting for him at home anyway. Maybe Donna was right and he needed to find someone. The problem was who. A woman who wasn’t in the industry would have a hard time understanding his crazy schedule and he just didn’t want to date anyone who was in the industry. With that thought John started to change out of his costume and get ready to head back to his flat, his lonely little flat.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I wasn't sure what direction to take this next chapter and then life got in the way. Don't you hate that! Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for the kudos and comments, you guys are great!

It had been another long day with students, who didn’t care in the least bit about Jane Austen, and all Clara could think about was going home, getting into her comfy clothes and making a hot cup of tea. She was currently sitting in her classroom at her desk marking essays when she heard a knock at the door. She looked up and saw Danny Pink smiling at her.

“Hey Danny.” Clara said.

“Hi. Are you busy? What am I saying, of course you’re busy. I can see that you’re clearly marking papers.” Danny rambled and Clara decided to put him out of misery and intercept.

“I could use a break. These kids really know how to butcher the English language and I start to get a headache after a while. Was there something you needed?” Clara asked.

“Well I was hoping you might like to get a coffee. I know the last time I asked, you said you were busy, but I was wondering if you might be free tomorrow after school.”

Clara was a bit surprised because she hadn’t expected him to ask again after she had blown him off the last time. She thought for a second and then decided there was no harm in one date. “Sure.” She replied. “But, since tomorrow is Friday and I have had one hell of a week, lets go for a pint instead.”

Danny’s face lit up with excitement that Clara had agreed. “Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. So I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“You bet.” Clara answered. With that Danny left and Clara went back to making essays. She was only a few pages in when Amy entered her class.

“I have had it with Courtney Woods!” Amy stated as she sat down at a desk in front of Clara. “I can’t wait for her to graduate, and move on to torture other teachers.”

Clara chuckled. There wasn’t a teacher in this school that liked Courtney. “What happened this time?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, I just want to go grab a pint and forget this day happened. Do you want to join Rory and me for a drink?” Amy asked.

“Thanks, but I have a ton of marking to get done and since I just agreed to have a drink with Danny tomorrow I need to get it done tonight.” Clara added, hoping that Amy didn’t notice the bit about Danny. Of course, Amy was Amy, so she wouldn’t let it slide.

“Wait! What? You’re going on a date with Danny?” Amy exclaimed excitedly. 

“It’s just a pint after work Amy, nothing to get excited about.”

“Sure it is, Clara. I can’t remember the last time you were on a date.” Amy responded.

“Thanks. If you’re finished reminding me of how pathetic my love life is, I have a lot of marking I need to get done.”

“Alright, I’m gone.“ Amy said as she left Clara’s classroom.

“Bye.” Clara replied as she turned back to the essays on her desk, so she could finish and finally get home to that cup of tea.

\------------

Clara looked at herself in the mirror and thought she looked pretty good. She was in the staff washroom touching up her makeup before her date with Danny. She really wanted to make an effort and give Danny a chance. He was a decent guy and it seemed like they might have some stuff in common. Sure he wasn’t the typical silver fox she was attracted to, but he was a handsome guy and was easy on the eyes. She also liked how adorable he was when he got nervous. She put her lipstick in her bag and walked out into the staff room where Danny was waiting. The two left the school and chatted about their day while walking to the pub. Apparently Courtney Woods was tormenting Danny as well and was doing a good job of getting under every teacher’s skin. As they entered the pub Danny asked Clara what she wanted and went and got their order while Clara went and got a seat. A few minutes later Danny was sitting across from her and the two picked up their conversation where they had left off.

They had been chatting for about an hour when Clara had to go to the loo. She excused herself from the table and made her way to the back. While she was walking she noticed a couple that was sitting in the corner, kind of out of the way from the rest of the pub. As she got closer her heart suddenly leapt into her throat as she realised one half of the couple was John Anderson. She kept walking, but her pace slowed down a bit as she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He was way more handsome in person then he was on TV. He was wearing horned rimmed glasses and was laughing. As she got next to the table, John turned and looked right at her. Once he saw that she was staring at him, he smiled. All Clara could do was smile back and quickly enter the loo and the nearest stall. She quickly pulled out her phone and called Amy.

“Well that date ended early if you’re already calling me.” Amy said as she answered her phone.

“Shut up. Just shut up for one second. John Anderson is here.” Clara whispered into the phone.

“What!? Where are you right now?”

“I’m in the loo and I just noticed him as I walked past his table. Gah, Amy! He saw me staring at him!” Clara stated mortified.

“What did he do?” Amy asked excitedly.

“He smiled at me.”

“You go girl! You get back out there and chat that handsome devil up.”

“Amy! I can’t do that for so many reasons. One, I won’t do that to Danny and two he’s on a date.” Clara said disappointingly. “The only thing I’m going to do is go back out there and continue my date with Danny. I just had to tell someone what happened.”

“Okay, suit yourself. Call me tomorrow.”

“I will. Bye.” Clara said as she hung up the phone. 

Clara finished in the stall, washed her hands and fixed her makeup. As she opened the door she took a deep breath and quickly walked past John’s table to her own. Once she sat down in her spot, she glanced back and noticed she had a clear view of John. Damn it! How was she supposed to concentrate on Danny now.

“Everything okay?” Danny asked.

Clara looked back to Danny and replied, “Yeah. Amy just called while I was in the loo. Sorry about that.”

“No worries.” The two continued their conversation and Clara was doing her best to keep her focus on Danny, but it was really hard. She would occasionally glance over towards the back and see John laughing and clearly having a good time. One of the times she looked over, she could have sworn he was looking at her, but he quickly turned away when their eyes met. After about an hour Danny suggested they go get a bite to eat and Clara agreed as she was starting to get hungry. As she got up from the table she gave one last glance over to John, and noticed he was definitely staring at her. He smiled again and Clara couldn’t help but blush as she returned the gesture. 

Later that night, Clara was back at her flat, thinking about the night’s events. She had a really great date with Danny and even agreed to go out with him again, but she couldn’t stop thinking about John. She couldn’t believe that she had an opportunity to meet him and she didn’t take it. She would likely never have that chance again and she blew it. “Oh well,” she said aloud, “At least I got the chance to see him in person.” She turned out the light and drifted off to sleep. It was no surprise that she had very interesting dreams of John Anderson that night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the lovely comments and kudos! You guys are great and I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know what you think. Hope you like this next chapter.

John entered his house and threw his keys on the table next to the door, while he dropped his bag on the floor. It felt really good to be home and surrounded by his own belongings. His flat in Cardiff was nice, but it wasn’t decorated the way he liked. He wanted a home to feel like a home and not some posh palace where you were afraid to sit on the furniture. While he was in Cardiff he constantly felt like he was a guest in his own “home”. He grabbed his bag and went upstairs to unpack and freshen up a bit after his trip. He walked into his room and immediately laid down on the bed. He really missed this bed. There was no feeling in the world like returning from a trip and sleeping on your own mattress. Just when he thought he was about to drift off he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He took it out and saw that it was Donna.

“Hi Donna.”

“Hey Doctor. Are you finally back in London?” She asked.

“I just walked in the door about 10 minutes ago.” He replied while yawning.

“You sound tired. I won’t keep you, I just wanted to see if you were back and were interested in coming over for a drink.”

“I’m not tired. I was just laying down getting reacquainted with my bed. Let me freshen up and I’ll be right over.

“OK. See you in a bit.” Donna said as she hung up.

John walked into his en-suite bathroom leaving a trail of clothing behind him. He stood in his massive rain head shower enjoying the feel of the water running over his head and down his skin. He missed this too. He also missed sharing this shower with someone else. He had the bathroom designed after he started earning a steady income and didn’t feel like a starving artist any more, mostly because it was something that River had always wanted and he was happy to finally be able to give it to her. He remembered how she thanked him numerous times in this very spot. But that was all in the past and now it was just a companion-less shower. 

Ten minutes later, John got out, shaved, and toweled off. He moved into his walk in closet and decided to wear a pair of black jeans, a skull print t-shirt and black blazer. He finished the look off with a pair of glasses, as he didn’t wear them often and people didn’t always recognize him. He grabbed his wallet off his dresser and headed downstairs to call a cab. He could have driven over, but he knew that often when he and Donna started drinking, they had a habit of making a night of it.

A half an hour later, John was sitting in Donna’s kitchen listening to her talk about her latest client who had let a recent role in a Hollywood movie go straight to her head. Donna was a no-nonsense kind of agent who would not allow her clients' egos to get in the way of furthering their careers, so she was faced with the issue of reigning her in before it got out of control. John always loved to hear these stories and was happy that he had never been one of these stars who thought the world owed him. He was very thankful for where he was in his career and would never take it for granted.

“So enough about my crazy job. How has shooting been going?” Donna asked.

“It’s good. Never a dull day and always new adventures. I just wish Missy would stop flirting with me.” John replied annoyed.

“I still don’t see why you don’t go on one date with her.”

“You know why, Donna. Been there, done that. Missy is a nice enough woman, but I can tell she has visions of grandeur and I don’t want to be apart of that world again.” John answered irritably.

“Alright. What about dating someone not in the business? You need to have someone in your life, Doctor. I can tell that you’re lonely and you’re longing for a relationship. You’re starting to get grumpy and I don’t like it when you’re grumpy.” Donna said firmly.

John ran his hand through his hair and banged his head on her kitchen counter, “I know, but my schedule is so crazy right now that there isn’t any time for dating let a lone a relationship.”

Donna could see a hint of sadness in her friends face and decided that this night needed to take a different turn. “Let’s go.” She said.

John looked up, “Where are we going?”

“To the pub down the street. You have been cooped up too long and you need to get out.” Donna told him while she grabbed her keys.

Luckily the pub was with in walking distance, so it didn’t take long for the two to get there. When they walked in they spotted a booth in the back that looked out of the way from the rest of the bar. Donna knew John needed to get out, but she also knew that he didn’t want to be bothered by fans. They grabbed some pints from the bar and sat down in the back. 

“Cheers.” John said as he raised his glass to Donna’s.

“Cheers.” She replied.

“Thanks for this. I really did need to get out and feel like I’m part of society. I can really get stuck in a bubble in Cardiff.”

“It’s what friends are for. Now come on and give me the scoop on the new season.” Donna demanded.

John laughed and started talking about work, at least what he could tell her. Even though she was his agent a lot of the scripts were top secret, so he couldn’t reveal too much about the stories. They spent the next hour or so talking and drinking, when John noticed a pretty young brunette walking their way. It looked like she was staring at him, which usually meant a star struck fan, so he braced himself for her to say hi. As she got closer, he really started to notice how beautiful she was. Once she reached their table he turned and smiled at her, expecting her to ask for a selfie or an autograph, but she just smiled and ducked into the loo. 

“Well that was interesting.” He said. “I thought for sure she was a fan.” 

“Not everyone in the city watches your show, Doctor.” Donna teased.

“I know that smart arse. I just thought she was a fan by the way she was looking at me.” He retorted.

“Maybe she just thought you’re a handsome stud.” Donna chuckled.

“Oh come on. A pretty young woman like that is not going to be interested in an old man like me.”

“Well, you never know unless you try and that’s a big part of your problem. You’re too afraid to make the effort and scared of getting hurt. It’s that fear that is going to make you die alone.” Donna scolded him.

“Gah Donna,” John replied annoyed. “How many times do I have to go over this with you. I devoted myself to River and she took my heart, split it in two, and stomped all over it. The day I walked in on her shagging that young wanker on my couch was the worst day of my life and it took me a long time to recover.” John sighed calming himself down before he continued. “I never want to feel that way again,” Donna was about to say something, but John stopped her. “And before you say it, I know. I want to be with someone, but it needs to be at my pace. For the first time in almost 5 years I feel like I’m ready, but I’m not about to make a fool of myself trying to hit on a pretty young lass at a pub. I’m not 20 any more.”

“I’m sorry. You’re right and I will stop pushing you.” Donna reached across and took John’s hand. “I just love you and want you to be happy. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you in that space.” Donna said. Her eyes suddenly darted towards the loo where she saw the girl come out. John watched her walk past and sit down at a table across the way. He had a clear view of her and noticed that she was sitting with a young good looking man.

“Well there’s no point in trying to hit on her anyway, she’s with someone.” He said, sounding a little let disappointed. He changed the subject and the two started talking about Donna’s current relationship with a man named Lee. It was early stages, so she was still incredibly smitten. John was happy for her, but he longed to have the same thing. He glanced over towards the brunette’s table and couldn’t help but stare. She was so beautiful and had eyes that he could lose himself in. She must have felt someone watching her because she turned and looked right at him, so he quickly looked away. Smooth, he thought to himself. Real smooth. He turned his focus to Donna, instead of the beautiful mystery girl across the room.

A couple of pints later, he and Donna were starting to feel pretty good. He was laughing at a joke that she had just made, when he noticed the pretty woman get up from her table with the man. His heart jumped a bit when she looked his way and he couldn’t help, but smile at her. She smiled back and walked out of the pub. That was it. This woman had just walked into his life and a couple of hours later she was gone. He would likely never see her again. He closed his eyes for a moment to sear her image into his mind, on the off chance that he might run into her again, he wanted to be sure to remember what she looked like. It may have only been a couple of smiles and glances, but he learned tonight that he may just be ready to find love again. Not likely with this impossible girl, but with someone.


	5. Chapter 5

Clara and Amy were enjoying a lazy Saturday afternoon at Clara's flat watching TV and gossiping about work. Rory was working today, so Amy took the opportunity to spend some quality time with her bestie. The two were sitting at opposite ends of the couch where Amy was flipping through TV channels and Clara was scrolling through Facebook on her phone.

"So," Amy said getting Clara's attention. "How's it going with Danny? I mean you've been on a couple of dates since the first one, so it must be going well."

"Danny's sweet." Clara replied looking up from her phone.

"But," Amy drew out.

"No but." Clara said. "He's really sweet and nice. Period."

"I'm totally sensing a but. Come on Clara, you can't fool me. He's missing something."

"He's not Amy. I really like him and I'm glad that I gave him a chance." Clara responded. "It's just that.."

"Ah ha!" Amy said cutting Clara off. "I knew there was a but!"

Clara rolled her eyes and continued. "We've had a couple of dates and he has yet to make a move. So far it just feels like we're a couple of mates hanging out."

"Not even a good night kiss?" Amy asked.

"Not even a good night peck on the cheek." Clara replied.

"Hmmm. So tonight why don't you go for the kiss. I mean you're a take charge kind of girl. Take charge." Amy advised.

"Yeah, you're right. I just want to know if that spark is there. You know what I mean?" Clara said as she picked up her phone again and then gasped at what came up on her feed. "Oh my god! Amy, look!" She turned her phone towards her friend.

"What?" Amy said as she grabbed Clara's phone. "What's LFCC and why is John Anderson's picture attached to it?"

Clara grabbed her phone from Amy and clicked on the ad to get more information. "It's the London Film and Comic Con. And John is going to be one of the guests!" Clara said excitedly.

"Okay." Amy responded with no interest.

"Amy! Do you know what this means? I can actually meet him!"

"You already met him, you daft girl, and you couldn't even talk to him." Amy reminded her.

"I know, but this time will be different."

"How?"

"Well for starters it's an event where he is expecting to meet fans, not a pub where he wants to have a quiet date. Secondly, you'll be with me." Clara smiled at Amy.

“I will?”

“Uh huh.” Clara said nodding.

"How much is this thing?" Amy asked sounding skeptical.

"£22 for entry, £75 for an autograph, £65 for a photo, and £25 for his talk." Clara responded.

"Well I definitely don't need to get a photo or an autograph, but I'd be okay with the entry and talk." Amy said.

"Really?" Clara questioned excitedly.

"Sure. If anything I'm paying to watch you fangirl out over some old dude."

Clara threw a pillow at Amy. "I'm not going to fangirl out Amy. I just want to be able to thank him and perhaps be able to put an arm around him for a picture."

"Exactly, fangirling." Amy smiled. "Just buy the tickets and let me know what I owe you okay." She turned her attention back to the TV, while Clara went to her computer to make the purchase. Ten minutes later, she turned around and said, "Wholly crap, I'm going to meet John Anderson!" 

"Yep and let's hope you don't turn into a blundering fool when you do."

Clara sighed because there was some truth to what Amy said. She couldn't speak to him at all the first time she saw him, so why did she think she would be able to at the con. At least she had time to prepare and wouldn't be caught off guard. Suddenly Clara noticed Amy was talking to her, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"What was that?" Clara asked.

Amy chuckled, "If we're done talking about your fake boyfriend, can we go back to talking about the real one."

"Oh shut up. Danny's not my boyfriend."

"Well not yet, but soon. Now let's talk wardrobe. What are you wearing tonight?" The two girls started talking about clothes and continued until Clara had to get ready for her date. Amy left telling Clara to call her the next day and to make sure the date didn't end until she got her kiss. There was no way she wasn’t getting a kiss from Danny tonight. She needed to see if there was chemistry between the two or just a really nice friendship. She closed the door saying goodbye to Amy and headed towards her bedroom to get changed.

\------------------------  
Danny had walked Clara home after their dinner date and they were currently standing outside the entrance to her building. 

“Thanks for walking me home Danny.” 

“What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t.” Danny replied smiling at Clara. 

Clara returned his smile. Once again it looked like Danny wasn’t going to make a move to kiss her good night, so she took a step towards him and tilted her head up. Danny finally got the hint and leaned forward to meet her half way. Their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss. Clara pulled away and smiled at him and saw that he was grinning from ear to ear. He ran his hand down Clara’s arm.

“I had a really good time tonight.” Danny said.

“Me too.”

“Would you like to go out again next week?” He asked.

“I would love to.” Clara took her keys out of her bag and stood on her toes to give Danny a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you on Monday at school.”

“You bet.” Danny replied as he watched her enter her building.

Once she was inside her flat, she shut the door and leaned back on it. No sparks. She finally kissed Danny and there were no sparks. Maybe she just needed more time and dates to make a stronger connection with him because she really couldn’t ask to date a better man. The sparks would come, she felt sure of it and was very determined to make it happen. She moved away from the door and walked into her room to get ready for bed.


	6. Chapter 6

John had gone back to Cardiff after his week off in London to finish shooting the season finale of Time Avengers. Everything had gone well and thankfully they didn't have to shoot longer than what was scheduled. Now, he was back home and looking forward to having the next few months off. His plan was to spend time between his two homes in London and Glasgow, when he wasn't doing press tours or conventions. He was going to head up to Scotland next week after the London Convention and spend some quality time with old friends and family. 

He had only been back a day, so he hadn't had much time to unpack. He walked into his study to set his laptop on his desk when he noticed a sketch he had done the last time he was home. He had gone to art school in university, so drawing and sketching was something he did in his spare time. He picked up the sketch and smiled at his impossible girl. The night he came home from drinking with Donna, he stayed up to get the image out of his mind and onto paper. He really wished he had spoken to her, but the reality was there wouldn't have been a point. Someone as beautiful as her would obviously be taken. He set the drawing down and went down stairs to start dinner. 

He was in the middle of chopping onions when he heard his phone ding indicating he had a text. He put the knife down and looked at his phone. He couldn't help the groan that escaped him when he saw that it was Missy. 

Missy: Hi Doctor. I heard you're going to be doing LFCC next week. Want to meet up for a drink after? 

Persistent had to be her middle name. John set his phone back down and decided to ignore the text for a bit since he wasn't sure what to answer. He continued making dinner when his cell phone went off again about 10 minutes later. 

Missy: Just a simple drink between friends Doctor, I promise. 

John thought some more and then started typing. 

John: Alright. 1 drink, as friends and nothing more. 

Missy: Absolutely! I'll be on my best behaviour. I'll text you next week when I'm back in London. 

John: Ok 

John put his phone down again and went back to making dinner. It couldn't hurt having one drink with Missy. Besides she was his costar and it would help if they got along better. Plus, maybe she would finally stop pestering him once she realised that he was just a big nerd at heart who would rather stay at home and watch movies than go out and hob knob with celebrities. 

\--------- 

Clara and Danny were having a double date with Amy and Rory. The two couples were sitting in a booth at a pub enjoying pints and live music. They had just finished their first round and the boys decided to go get another, leaving the two girls behind. 

"So still not your boyfriend?" Amy asked. 

"Shut up." Clara said. 

"Look, I'm just saying that the two of you seem pretty close and you've been spending a lot of time together." 

"We have." Clara said unenthusiastically. 

"Why do I feel like there's always a but with you. He's clearly head over heels for you, but it’s obvious that you're not." Amy questioned. 

"I really like him Amy. We have fun together, but yeah, I do think his feelings are stronger than mine." Clara responded. 

"I'm sure sleeping with him might help that." Amy winked at Clara. Clara just rolled her eyes at her friend since the guys had returned. 

"Help what?" Rory asked as he sat down. 

"Oh nothing." Amy answered. "Clara's just nervous about meeting John Anderson next week and asked if I'd help her figure out what to say to him. 

Clara kicked Amy under the table because she hadn't told Danny about her obsession and didn't really feel like going into detail about it. 

"John Anderson from Time Avengers?" Danny asked. 

"That's the one." Amy answered, not missing the opportunity to embarrass Clara. "It's Clara's favorite show and actor." 

Danny looked at Clara, "Really? You've never mentioned it." 

Clara smiled and shrugged, "It never really came up." 

"So where are you meeting him?" Danny questioned. 

“At the London Comic Con.” Clara replied with as little information as possible. Of course Danny wasn't going to stop with that answer. 

“Seriously?” he said with a laugh. 

Clara was really getting annoyed now. “Yes, seriously. I really love this show and when I got the chance to meet my favourite actor, I took it.” 

“Yeah, now you have the opportunity to drool over him in person.” Amy added. 

“You find him attractive?” Danny asked and Clara looked at him and shrugged. “He's old enough to be your dad!” 

Clara had had enough of this conversation, “Look. It's not like I'm going to date the man. He has a certain quality that I find attractive, but that's not the only reason I like him. Now can we just move on and talk about something else.” 

“Sorry,” Danny said. “I didn't mean anything by it. I think it's cool that you're going to meet someone you admire. And since you're dating me I know you can't date him.” He smiled and winked at Clara and she could tell he was being sincere. 

“Exactly. You are my reality and John Anderson is just a fantasy.” Clara smiled at Danny. “Reality is way better.” This made Danny happy to hear and they were finally able to move on. The foursome spent the rest of the night drinking and sharing stories. However, Clara's thoughts would occasionally wander to what it was going be like to meet John in a week. This was going to be a really long week, but it would be worth it for the reward she would have at the end. She just hoped that after meeting him she would finally be able to stop obsessing over him. Maybe then she could focus her attention on building her relationship with Danny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the feedback and kudos. I don't have a beta so I really appreciate it. The next chapter will be the one you've all been waiting for, so thanks for sticking with me.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter you've all been waiting for - The convention has arrived! Hope you like it? Thanks again for all the comments, it really inspires me to write!

Clara took a sip from her coffee, while looking out the window for Amy. They had agreed to meet at a cafe near Olympia prior to going into the con. It was now 8:30 and in typical Amy fashion, she was late. This only added to Clara's already nervous stomach. She hadn't been able to eat breakfast for fear that whatever she ate would end up reappearing when she met John. Finally, through a crowd of cosplayers, she saw Amy. 

Amy entered the shop and waved to Clara while she went to grab a coffee. 

“Sorry I'm late, but the tube was a little crazy.” Amy apologized as she approached Clara. Clara stood up, so Amy wouldn't sit down. 

“That's ok.” She said as they left. 

“So, what's first on the agenda Ms. Oswald?” 

“Well I've read that the autograph lines can get huge, so I want to head there first. My photo is at one and then his talk is at four. I have a feeling that we're going to be waiting in a lot of queues.” 

“That's cool.” Amy said as a group of aliens walked past them. “I think I'll enjoy watching the cosplayers. Their costumes are amazing.” 

“Yeah, I had no idea that people were into this. While I was waiting for you I saw a very authentic looking Wonder Woman walk by.” Clara responded. 

The two made their way to the end of the queue, which was so long Clara thought for sure it was going to take an hour for them to get in once the doors opened in 20 minutes. She also noticed that there were a lot of Time Avenger cosplayers standing in line as well. In fact, there was a couple standing in front of them who were dressed as John's and Missy Davros' characters. She nudged Amy to tell her to check them out. Amy looked and couldn't help but start speaking to them. 

“You guys look really great.” 

The couple turned around, “Thanks so much. Are you guys fans of the show?” 

Clara and Amy told them they were big fans and they started chatting about the most recent episode. Clara was also able to find out from them just how comic-cons worked and how much time everything might take. They were having a good conversation when the line started to move. Clara was so excited she couldn’t have wiped the smile off her face even if she tried. 

As the girls entered the venue they grabbed a program and followed the couple to the autograph area. Clara was very happy at this point that they had started chatting with them because it would have taken her forever to figure out where to go. They finally made their way to John's table and saw that there was already a huge line. She was glad that she had her ticket already and felt confident that she would at least get an autograph, whenever that may be. She could hardly believe that she would soon be standing face to face with John Anderson. 

“Have you decided what you're going to say to him?” Amy asked. “Well other than I love you.” 

“You think you're so funny don’t you.” Clara smiled at Amy. “and no, I haven't. I mean there isn't much point because there won't be much time anyway.” 

“Still, you should think of something.” Amy said. 

Clara hated to admit that Amy was right, but what was she going to say. She couldn't very well say, hi I think you're hot can you sign this picture? She decided to think for a bit, when suddenly the crowd cheered and everyone looked to the front. All Clara could see was the top of a head with beautiful silver curls. Her stomach flipped and a huge smile appeared on her face. It was still going to be awhile before she made it to the front, but her heart was pounding a mile a minute. 

“Wow.” Amy said. “I know I was giving you a hard time, but this is kind of exciting.” The two were slowly making their way to the front and Clara 's mind was racing trying to figure out what to say. She was an English teacher for crying out loud and should have no problem with words, but the closer she got the blanker her mind was. At this point all she could hope for were intelligent words to exit her mouth and not just stammering. About twenty minutes had passed and they had reached a point where they could see John a little better. He looked even better than the night that Clara had seen him in the pub and now that she had him in her sights she couldn't take her eyes off of him. He looked so happy and was greeting each fan with a smile and a handshake. It was another ten minutes and they were now near the front, with a clear view of John. There were just 5 people between the two of them. She inhaled deeply trying to calm her nerves, when Amy noticed. 

"Relax. He's just a person like you and me." She said trying to reassure her. 

"I know, it's just that he's so much more handsome in person than on TV." Clara whispered. 

Finally, Clara was at the table where she handed over her ticket, chose her photo to have signed, and gave the woman her name for it to be personalised. There was a swarm of butterflies attacking her stomach and she still had no idea if words were actually going to come out of her mouth. She watched as John interacted with the couple in front of her and stood mesmerized as he said goodbye to them and turned to her. He stared at her for a second and then glanced down at the photo to see her name. 

"Nice to meet you Clara." He said as he stretched out his hand towards her. 

Clara took his hand and shook it. His hands were so soft that she didn't want to let go. "It's really nice to meet you too." 

She let go of his hand and he picked up his sharpie to start signing her photo. 

"I just want to say that I really love Time Avengers and think that you're really great in it." Good, words came out and it was a sentence that made sense. Maybe not the most original thing to say, but it was something. 

He looked at her and smiled. "Thanks so much. I'm glad that you enjoy the show. You a David Bowie fan?" He asked. 

His question took Clara off guard, so her only response was, "Pardon?" 

He smiled again, and chuckled. "Your shirt." He said as he gestured towards it. "Blackstar." 

She looked down and couldn`t believe she had completely forgotten that she was wearing her Bowie shirt today. "Oh yeah, I am." 

"Nice." He replied as he handed her the photo. "It was really nice to meet you Clara." 

"You too. See you later." She said. And she turned and walked away, but before she turned she could have sworn she heard him quietly say, I hope so.  
______________ 

John woke up early the morning of the convention. He knew he was in for a long day, so he went to bed early the night before. He was just about to get dressed when his phone dinged. 

Missy: Hey John. We still on for a drink after the con today? 

Right, he forgot he had agreed to get a drink with Missy. 

John: Sure, but I want to go somewhere away from the convention. 

Missy: That sounds great. 

John: See you later and we can chat about it. 

He put his phone down and went to choose his clothes for the day. He really hoped that Missy would finally get the hint and just be his friend, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking into a trap with her. He put the thought out of his head and started getting dressed as the convention was sending a car to pick him up in twenty minutes. 

John arrived at the convention and was in awe of all the people and the great costumes he saw. It never ceased to amaze him, the level of detail the cosplayers would go to, to be as authentic as possible. He was greeted by his handler for the day and immediately ushered towards the autograph area. He really enjoyed meeting his fans, but he had to take a moment before he went out. He had done some conventions in North America and knew that there were going to be hundreds of people on the other side of the curtain waiting for him. He had to emotionally prepare himself and put his best face forward. He took a deep breath and walked out to a sea of people. The crowd cheered as he waved and smiled. 

It had been about fifty minutes and he was getting close to needing a break. He took a moment between people to glance out into the crowd to see how long the line was when he noticed her. His impossible girl was standing in the queue and was about ten people away from being face to face with him. He kept calm and tried his best to not rush through the people, but it was really hard. Finally, he said goodbye to the couple in front of her and turned towards her. She was stunning. Big, espresso coloured eyes that sparkled when she smiled at him. He looked down at her photo and saw that her name was Clara. 

"Nice to meet you Clara." He said as he stretched his hand out to her, longing to hold it in his. 

She took his hand and shook it. He didn't want to let go but knew it would be odd if he didn't. "It's really nice to meet you too." She said as she smiled at him. 

He remembered that she was there for an autograph, so he picked up his sharpie to start writing. But what to write. He just didn't have the time to think of something clever. He just started to write when she spoke again. 

"I just want to say that I really love Time Avengers and think that you're really great in it." 

He looked at her and smiled. The poor thing was nervous and he wanted to try and do something to put her at ease. "Thanks so much. I'm glad that you enjoy the show. You a David Bowie fan?" He asked as he noticed the shirt she was wearing. 

"Pardon?" She responded. 

He smiled and chuckled. "Your shirt." He said as he gestured towards it. "Blackstar." 

She looked down and responded. "Oh yeah, I am." 

He had no idea where to take the conversation, as he wanted to talk to her more, but couldn`t with the crowd of people waiting. He said the only thing he could think of, "Nice." 

He handed her photo back to her and said, "It was really nice to meet you Clara." He couldn`t believe he had been dreaming about her for months and here she was standing in front of him, but there wasn`t a damn thing he could do. 

She smiled at him and replied, "You too. See you later." She turned and walked away with her friend and he quietly said, I hope so. 

\------------ 

Amy ushered Clara away from the autograph area. She looked like she was in shock, so they found a place to sit down. 

“Wholly crap Amy! I just shook his hand!” Clara exclaimed. 

Amy chuckled, “Yes you did.” She took the photo from Clara to see what he wrote and read it out loud. “To Clara, Keep smiling. All the best.” Clara took it from Amy and smiled at the photo. 

“Oh you have it bad now.” Amy said. 

“What?” Clara responded as she was carefully putting her autograph into her bag. 

“You're even more smitten than you were before. Look at you! Your pupils are bigger than saucers and practically have hearts in them.” She laughed. 

Clara swatted Amy on the arm. “Oh shut up. He was really nice. I just wish I could have said more to him.” 

“Well, be happy that words came out.” 

“True.” Clara replied. “Do you want to walk around a bit before I have to go to the photo op?” 

“Sure.” Amy answered and the two wandered off. 

An hour had passed and Clara still couldn't wipe the smile off her face. The two girls were having a good time looking at the vendors and taking photos of cosplayers. They had even grabbed a quick bite to eat and were now heading towards the photo op area. Clara saw a person holding a sign that said John Anderson and figured that was where she had to go to line up. 

“Ok, just remember to smile and don't touch him inappropriately.” Amy advised. 

“Well maybe I'll just let my hand slip as I put my arm around him.” Clara joked. 

“That would actually be awesome.” Amy laughed. “Okay, I'll meet you by the exit in a bit.” 

Clara was now alone and was wondering how long it would take before they started and just how quick the photo was going to be. She had read on the Internet that they were pretty quick, so she wasn't expecting much of an interaction. It wasn't much longer before the queue started moving, and she was surprised at how quickly it was moving. Before she knew it she was stepping behind the curtain and could finally see John. He greeted each person, posed and then the people were moved on. Suddenly she was the next person. 

“Clara!” John exclaimed, taking her completely off guard that he remembered her name. 

“Hi.” She smiled and stammered. 

"So lovely to see you again." He said while he smiled 

She stepped towards him, put her arm around him as he put his around her, the photographer counted 1, 2, 3 and then there was a click. He stepped aside and smiled at her. 

"Thanks." She said as she was being ushered out of the booth. That was it. In the blink of an eye her interaction was over. She felt shell shocked and barely had enough time to register what had just happened. The next thing she knew she was standing in front of a table picking up her photo. She looked at it and smiled. It was such a great picture. She was smiling, he was smiling and both looked so happy. 

Clara made her way out of the photo op area and found Amy. 

"I think it's going to be very hard to wipe that smile off your face." Amy said smiling at Clara as she approached. "How did it go?" 

"Oh my god, it was so quick! Like, seriously quick!" Clara exclaimed. "I barely had time to say hello." 

"Really? So, he didn't even say hi or anything?" Amy asked. 

"Actually, he remembered my name! I was so shocked that I had no idea what to say, so all that came out was, hi." 

"Wow! I can't believe he remembered your name. I mean it's not like your interaction with him was all that different from others." Amy hit Clara on the arm. "Wholly crap! Maybe he fancies you! 

"Oh, don't be ridiculous! And for the love of god don't put that idea in my head." Clara exclaimed. "Now let's go line up for the talk, so that we can get good seats." 

The two left the photo op area and made their way to wait in the queue. There were already a lot of people there, so they were sure they weren't going to get a good spot. After about an hour they opened the doors and everyone started to file in. They managed to get seats in the middle, but more towards the back of the room. Once they were seated they had to wait another half an hour before John made his way on to the stage. The talk was really good and Clara loved hearing stories about things that had happened on set. After about forty-five minutes the talk ended and everyone made their way out of the auditorium. It had been a long day and both decided that they needed a drink and some food, so Clara suggested they go to the Cock and Bottle. It was where she and Danny had gone on their first date and where she had seen John before. She was hoping that with any luck she might see him again. 

\--------------------- 

John watched Clara walk away from his autograph table and turned to greet the next fan. He wasn't as focused on them as he should have been because he couldn't quite believe that the impossible girl had shown up and now he knew her name. Clara. What were the odds that he would see her again and once again he had to let her walk away without getting a number, or even a last name. He hoped that he would see her again during the photo op but knew he wouldn't be able to do anything. Was he destined to keep crossing paths with her, but never get to know her? 

He spent the next hour making sure everyone who paid for an autograph, got one. Finally the last fan left and he was able to grab a bite and have a quick break before he had to run to photos. It was during this time that Missy caught up to him and the two discussed their plan for a drink after the con. John really didn't want to follow through with it, especially since he knew Clara was somewhere in this building. However, he was a man of his word so they decided to meet after his talk and head to a pub away from the craziness near Olympia. 

After John's break he was whisked away to the photo op area and prepared himself for another onslaught of fans. It was about 20 minutes in when he finally saw Clara enter the small curtained off area. It was about another four people before she was at the front. 

“Clara!” He said far more excited than he should have been. He could tell he caught her off guard as she smiled shyly and responded with, hi. 

"So lovely to see you again." He said as she stepped towards him. He put his arm around her as she put hers around him and then the photographer counted 1, 2, 3, click. Suddenly his handler was ushering her away as she said thanks and he didn't even have a chance to respond when the next fan was stepping up for their photo. 

He finished the rest of the pictures and had a chance to have a bit of a break before his talk. He couldn't stop thinking about Clara and how much he just wanted to have a conversation with her and get to know her. He had no idea who she was or even how that could happen. Unless she was truly the impossible girl and he was fortunate enough to run into her again. Perhaps it was his turn to take fate into his own hands. He saw her once at a pub and maybe it was one she frequented. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and sent a text to Donna. 

John: Hey Donna, what's the name of that pub we went to a couple of months back? 

He waited a moment to see if she would respond. It wasn’t long before he felt his phone vibrate. 

Donna: Why? 

God she was so nosey. 

John: I'm going for a drink with Missy after the con and wanted to go somewhere far from here. 

Donna: Oh I'm so happy you took my advice! 

John: As FRIENDS! What's the name? 

Donna: Whatever! It's the Cock & Bottle. Have fun on your date ;) 

John: Shut up. Not a date. Thanks. 

John put his phone back in his pocket. It was a long shot, but perhaps she might go there again. Once his talk was over he would find Missy and that's where they'll go. For some reason he was drawn to Clara and he needed to find her again to find out why.


	8. Chapter 8

Clara and Amy had really enjoyed their day at the con, but were glad to be away from the crowds and craziness. It was strange how tired they both felt when all they did was a lot of standing around. Clara realised the only reason she was still able to be out was pure adrenaline. She had such an exciting day that she wasn't ready for it to end, so she was glad they had come to the pub for a drink. 

“So out of all the things that happened today, what was your favourite?” Amy asked taking a sip of her pint. 

“I don't know.” Clara responded and then thought for a second. “Maybe the photo because I actually got to touch him. And he remembered my name!” 

“Yeah. No offense, but that was strange. I mean he met hundreds of people today. 

“I know, but it made me happy.” Clara smiled. 

The two continued to chat about their day, when suddenly Clara's attention was brought to the door. Her jaw dropped and a look of awe came across her face. Amy turned around to see what she was looking at. 

“Wholly crap!” Amy exclaimed. “You are the luckiest god damn fool there is.” She said to Clara. 

“Bloody hell Amy!” She whispered leaning in towards her. “He's with Missy Davros! Do you think they're on a date?” 

“Well by the way she's hanging off of him, it looks that way.” 

Clara felt a little sad that once again she sees him at a pub and he's on another date, with a different woman. She knew she didn't have a bloody chance in hell with a man like him, but it still hurt a little. She watched as the two of them went and sat at a table towards the back where Missy sat beside John instead of across from him. They looked pretty intimate, so there was no way Clara was going to interrupt them. 

“Clara you should go talk to him, see if he remembers you?” Amy said. 

“No way! Look at them.” She said as she motioned her head towards them. “She's practically sitting in his lap.” 

“Yeah, but have you even bothered to look at him.” Amy replied. “He looks so uncomfortable.” 

Clara looked again. Amy was right. She was so focused on what Missy was doing that she didn't notice how John seemed to be trying to politely push her away. 

“I think we should get another pint and see how this plays out.” Amy suggested. 

Clara was definitely intrigued and there was no way she was leaving this pub while John Anderson was sitting across the way. She went up to the bar to order two more drinks for her and Amy. 

\------------------ 

John had finished his talk and true to her word, Missy was waiting for him. He was really dreading this drink and wishing he hadn't agreed to it. While John was on stage, Missy had asked the convention to arrange a car to take them for their drink. John got in and told the driver the name of the pub he wanted to go to. 

"Oh, I was hoping we could go to the bar at the hotel I'm staying at." Missy said as she got in and sat next to him. When they weren't shooting, Missy lived in New York. She was desperate to make it big in America and thought her chances might be better if she lived there. 

"I don't feel like going anywhere posh and fancy." John answered. 

"Fine." Missy replied sounding a bit disappointed. She had hoped after a few drinks she would be able to convince him to go up to her room, but now she was going to have to get creative. 

The two chatted about the con and some of the fans they had met and the different cosplay they had seen. Like John, Missy had been a fan of Time Avengers growing up and really enjoyed meeting the fans. It was about the only thing they had in common. It wasn't long before the two found themselves at the Cock and Bottle. 

They entered the pub and John quickly scanned the room to see if Clara was there. He didn't see her, but suddenly got distracted because Missy had taken a hold of his arm and pressed herself up to him. He spotted a table near an isolated corner where he thought he could get a better view of the whole bar. He sat down and to his surprise, Missy sat next to him, not opposite. She was trying to snuggle him, but he gently pushed her away and slid over a bit more. 

"Well isn't this place quaint." Missy said as she looked around. "Not exactly the setting I was hoping for." 

"I like it. Suits me just fine." He said with a hint of grumpiness. He knew he should have never agreed to this and that Missy was never going to be interested in being friends. He wanted this over with as soon as possible so he asked Missy what she wanted to drink and walked up to the bar. That's when he couldn't believe his luck. Clara was at the opposite end ordering two drinks. 

He had no idea what to do. He watched her walk back to her table and saw she was with a friend. That was good. Friend he could deal with, boyfriend he could not. However, he was here with Missy and now needed to find away to get rid of her. 

He ordered their drinks and went back to his table. He handed Missy her drink and sat opposite her, which wasn't good because he couldn't see Clara, but he'd rather that than sit next to Missy again. 

“So Doctor, tell me why it is you're single.” Missy asked leaning forward. 

“No reason in particular.” He answered. Perhaps if he gave short answers and didn't engage, she would leave. 

“Well you must have needs. I mean look at you. You practically ooze sex, with your whole rock star look.” Missy said seductively. 

John rolled his eyes and scoffed. Of course he had needs, but he wasn't about to have that conversation with her. “Missy, if you think that I'm going to sleep with you because I'm lonely, than think again.” 

“Oh come on Doctor. I can guarantee that one night with me and you'd show up on my door begging for more.” 

John had tried to be nice, but clearly that wasn't getting his point across. It was time for him to hammer his point home and hopefully put an end to all of this once and for all. 

"Listen Missy. I've told you a thousand times that I am not, nor will I ever be interested in you. I am sure that there are several men who find you attractive, but I am not one of them. I don't sleep with people just for the sake of getting off and if I did I wouldn't choose you. So, stop wasting our time and piss off." He said angrily. 

Missy tried to reach across to take his hand, but he moved it before she had a chance. "Doctor," 

"And STOP calling me Doctor." John cut her off. "That is a name my friends call me and we are NOT friends." 

"Fine. I can see that I'm not getting anywhere with you tonight." She downed the rest of her gin and tonic and stood up. "Enjoy your time off." She said as she stormed out of the pub. John sat there relieved that he had hopefully finally put an end to it. All he wanted to do now was go and talk to Clara, but he needed a moment to compose his thoughts. Was he really going to try and hit on a beautiful young woman, and a fan as well? Maybe he was crazy. But he hadn't been able to get her out of his mind all day. He took a drink from his pint while he thought some more. 

\---------------- 

Clara had grabbed the two pints and walked back to her table. When she sat down she looked over to John's table and saw that he was gone. Amy noticed her and put her mind at ease. 

"He's at the bar." 

Clara looked over to the bar and sure enough she saw him speaking to the bartender. She turned back to Amy. "This is crazy." 

"What is?" 

"Sitting here pinning away for a man that I don't have a chance in hell with. While the man I've been dating is sitting at home pinning away for me." 

"Yeah, you're pretty crazy." Amy replied. "Okay, time to take your mind off of the man who shall not be named. Did you hear about Rose and the new bloke she started dating?" 

The two girls started to chat about their friend Rose, whom they had met while traveling during a break from university one summer. They had been staying at the same hostel in Berlin and the three girls hit it off so well, that Rose joined them on the rest of their trip. They were so busy gossiping about Rose's dating life that they didn't notice Missy leave the pub nor did they notice someone approaching their table. Clara turned to see who it was and her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. 

"Hi." John said smiling at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliff hanger! Promise some goodness in the next chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, but sometimes life gets in the way of my hobbies. (Shaking fist at life) Once again thanks so much for the lovely feedback. Without further ado, finally they talk.

It took all of Clara's power to not start hyperventilating.  John Anderson had just walked up to their table and was smiling at her.  What did this mean? Perhaps he recognized her from today, but why?  She wasn't anyone special.  She looked at Amy, who looked just as stunned as her.  

"Sorry to interrupt."  He said looking at Clara.  "But you were at the convention today, right?" 

Clara was smiling at him nodding her head, but no words were coming out.  "We were."  Amy said, kicking Clara under the table to try and snap her out of her daze. 

"Ah, yeah."  Clara finally spoke.  What the hell was happening?  Was she dreaming?  Did she fall, hit her head and was currently in a coma?  

“Well I just wanted to say thanks for coming out today.  I know it was a bit crazy.”  John said. 

“It was, but a lot of fun.”  Clara replied. 

“Could I perhaps buy you both a drink to say thanks?”  He asked. 

“Well I actually need to get home to my husband, but I'm sure Clara would love one.”  Amy answered.   

“Uhm, yeah, sure.  That would be great.”  Clara said. 

“Great.”  John said and then asked what she was drinking before he walked over to the bar. 

“Oh my god Amy!  What am I going to talk to him about?  I don't know if you've noticed, but words are not my friend today.”  Clara exclaimed. 

“Just relax and be yourself.  You are a smart, witty, funny person, you got this!"  Amy encouraged. 

Clara took a deep breath.  "You're right.  I can do this." 

Amy grabbed her bag and got up from the table.  "Good luck and you better call me first thing tomorrow morning.  That is if you're not shagging that man senseless."  She smiled. 

"Amy!  Get out of here."  Clara chuckled as Amy left the pub.   

John was standing at the bar waiting for the bartender to take his order.  He had finished his previous pint while deciding if he should go and talk to Clara.  By the time his glass was empty he had decided to take a chance and do something that was completely out of his comfort zone.  What harm could come from it?  The bartender took his order and as he turned with the pints he saw Clara's friend leave.  He was finally going to be alone with her. 

John returned to the table and sat down in the spot Amy had just vacated.  "We haven't properly met."  He said as he out stretched his hand to Clara.  "I'm John Anderson." 

Clara smiled as she shook his hand.  "Clara Oswald."   

"Nice to meet you, Clara Oswald."  Clara could get used to hearing her name from his lips.  His Scottish accent was even sexier in person than it was on TV. 

"Nice to meet you too."  Clara said.  She was drawing a complete blank on what else to say to him so she just continued to smile at him.  

"Not much of a talker, are you."  John joked. 

"I'm sorry.  I'm just a little shocked is all.  I mean, you're you and I'm me and I'm just a little perplexed as to why you want to talk to me." 

"Okay, let me introduce myself again."  He extended his hand again.  "I'm John Smith, a starving artist from Glasgow and have never in anyway been on TV.  I'm just an ordinary bloke."   

Clara took his hand again and laughed. 

"So, John Smith, that still doesn't answer why you're talking to me."  Clara said relaxing a bit as John was trying to put her at ease. 

"Hoping to get to know you better." 

"Alright, what do you want to know?"  Clara asked. 

John started asking her questions about herself and the more they chatted the more Clara started to relax and become more herself.  He was really easy to talk to and they had a lot in common, such as music, books and TV.  She couldn't believe how down to earth he was.   Before they knew it a couple of hours had passed.  John had gone to the bar to get them another round of drinks, so she took the chance to glance at her phone.  She cringed when she saw that Danny had called three times.  Damn it!  She forgot that she had told him she would call when she got home from the con and he was probably wondering where she was.  There was also a text message from Amy. 

 **Amy:  Hey just letting you know that Danny called me, worried because you haven't called him yet.  I told him you were fine and that I left you at the pub with an old friend from university.**  

She sent Amy a quick text to say thanks, just as John returned to the table. 

"Am I keeping you from something?"  John asked as he handed Clara another pint and sat back down.  

"No."  Clara said as she put her phone away.  "I was just responding to a friend and also wanted to check the time.  I can't believe we've been chatting for so long." 

"Well, once you gain the ability to speak, you're pretty easy to talk to."  John said with a smile. 

The two started chatting again and soon Clara forgot all about the missed phone calls from Danny.  She started to feel more comfortable and started asking questions to John, to get to know him.  Some of the answers she already knew, but she would never let on just how much of a fan she was.  She didn't want to scare him off.  They were in middle of a discussion about David Bowie's last album when John's phone rang.  He looked down and saw that it was Donna. 

"Sorry."  He said.  "I need to take this."  He picked up the phone and walked off in the direction of the loos.   

“Hi Donna.  Let me guess why you're calling."  He said as he answered the phone. 

“Missy.”  She said. 

"I figured she might run off and call her agent."  He replied. 

"What the hell happened Doctor?  I thought you were going to have drinks to help your working relationship, not make it worse." 

“We were.  Or at least that's what I thought, but as usual she had ulterior motives and I had to tell her off.  I'm just so tired of her not getting the clear message that I'm not interested.” 

“Okay, I'll try and work this out with her agent."  Donna said. 

"Please tell her I'm sorry for being rude, but Missy needs to stop forcing herself on me." 

"Got it."  Donna replied.  "So how was the convention?" 

"It was good, but I can't talk right now Donna.  I'm having a drink with someone."  John said. 

"Who?"  Donna questioned. 

“Remember that night you and I went to the Cock & Bottle and I saw that woman who I thought was a fan?”  John asked. 

“Yeah, you kept watching her the whole night.” 

“Well she was here tonight and after Missy stormed off I decided to talk to her.  She was also at the con today.” 

“Wait!  What?!  You're having a drink with a fan?  Doctor, please tell me that is all you plan on doing?!”  Donna asked anxiously. 

“What do you mean?” 

“What I mean is don't go doing something stupid like shagging her then giving her your number.” 

“Donna!  What kind of man do you think I am?  I would never do that with a woman I just met and if I want to give her my number, I will.”  John said, starting to get annoyed with his friend. 

“John,” Donna's use of his real name meant she was about to be serious. “I understand that you're lonely and a young girl has caught your eye and she may even seem to fancy you, but she's a fan.  You don't know anything about her.”  John tried to cut her off, but Donna wouldn't let him.  “Let me finish.  Sitting in a pub having a couple of pints might be a great way for an ordinary man to meet a girl, but you're not ordinary.  You're a famous television star and you can't just go giving your number to a woman like this.  If I recall, it looked like she was on a date the night we saw her.  Has she mentioned date guy tonight?  Probably not because she saw an opportunity to sleep with her celebrity crush.” 

“Are you finished?”  John asked angrily.  Donna didn't know Clara and had no right to speak that way about her.  

"Yes." 

"Okay, now you listen to me.  Clara is more than just some fan I met at a convention.  I haven't been able to get her out of my mind since that night I first saw her, so you can imagine my surprise when she was standing in front of me to get an autograph.  Did I choose this pub tonight because I had hoped to see her?  Yes!  Did I think about my actions before I walked over to her table?  Yes!  I know the risks Donna.  She was nervous at the convention and she was nervous when I approached her, but once I put her at ease about who I am, she relaxed and we have been having a great conversation.  We haven't even talked about the show and in fact she hasn't asked anything about it.  She has a genuine interest in getting to know me, John Smith, not John Anderson the actor.  She's not some crazy fangirl looking to shag her celebrity crush.  And no, she hasn't mentioned date guy, and I haven't asked.  I don't know what will come of this Donna, but I know that I want to try."  John sighed at the end of his rant. 

"Okay, but if she turns up in your house and boils your rabbit, don't say I didn't warn you."  Donna replied, her tone much softer.  "Look I'm happy that you're taking a chance, but just be careful." 

"Sure."  John replied.  "Look, I need to get back to her, so I'll call you later in the week. " 

He ended his conversation and made his way back to Clara.  

"Sorry about that."  He said as he sat down. "Where were we?"  He asked and they picked up their conversation from where they left off.  After about another hour they had reached the end of their pints and John asked if she wanted another. 

"I would love to, but I'm actually starting to feel really tired."   

"Yeah, of course.  It's been a long day."  He said feeling a little disappointed but understood.  "How are you getting home?" 

"I don't live far, so I’m just going to walk."  Clara answered. 

Not wanting the night to end, John asked if he could walk her home.  Clara agreed and the two left the pub together.  They chatted some more while Clara led the way walking side by side.  Twenty minutes later they were standing in front of her flat.  Clara suddenly felt very nervous, not knowing if this would be the last time she saw him or not. 


	10. Chapter 10

"Thanks for walking me home and for the drinks."  Clara said.

"You're very welcome."  John replied.  "Thanks for the company."  John hesitated before he spoke again, while he mustered up the courage to say what he wanted to.  

"Listen, I don't normally do this kind of thing.  Well more like I never do this kind of thing, but I had a really nice time tonight and I would very much like to see you again some time."  

"Oh, wow."  Clara said, taken aback.  "Yeah, I would like that too."

John smiled, "Great.  I'm going to Glasgow on Monday for a couple of weeks, but maybe we could have dinner when I get back?"

"That sounds nice."  Clara agreed and the two exchanged numbers.  Clara could not believe that John Anderson had just given her his number and wanted to take her to dinner.  John could not believe that this beautiful young woman had just agreed to see him again.  

"Well Clara Oswald, it was lovely meeting you."  John said as he extended his hand.

"You too, John Smith, starving artist from Glasgow."  Clara smiled at him and John couldn't help but bend forward and give her a quick kiss on the cheek.   John promised to call her and then they said goodnight.

Clara shut the door to her flat and leaned against it.  She couldn't help the sigh that had escaped her.  John Anderson had just kissed her on the cheek.  Nothing at this moment could knock her off the cloud she was on.  She walked into her kitchen to get a glass of water and when she came out, she saw her backpack on the floor.  She had almost forgotten about the convention and the fact that there was a picture of her and John in her bag.  She pulled it out and flopped down on the couch staring at it.  She could hardly believe that she had spent the entire night getting to know this man.  She really expected to wake up at any moment.

John hailed a cab to take him home.   He couldn't wipe the smile off his face.   Clara Oswald.  His impossible girl finally had a name and he finally had her number.   He stared out the window of the cab while it drove along the streets of London.  It wasn't long before he was home and he was suddenly feeling very tired and clearly coming off of his adrenaline high.  He debated about sending Clara a text before he went to sleep, just to thank her again for a lovely night, but decided against it.  He didn't want to appear too needy.  He couldn't stop thinking about her and now wished that he hadn't planned on going to Glasgow to see his sister and her family.  It was going to be a long couple of weeks, but now he was really looking forward to returning and seeing Clara's beautiful smile again.

\--------------

Clara woke up the next morning and briefly thought that the previous day had been a dream, but then she remembered the feeling of John's lips on her cheek.  There was no dream that could feel that real.  She was enjoying a lie in, when she heard a knock at her door.  She got up and when she looked at the peep hole, she suddenly had a feeling of guilt overcome her.

"Danny."  She said as she opened the door.  He was holding two coffee cups and a brown paper bag.  Clara had completely forgotten about his messages and hadn't listened to them.

"Morning."  He said, as he entered her flat and kissed her on the cheek.  The same cheek that John had kissed on her the night before, only adding to her guilt.  He walked into the kitchen to get some plates for the breakfast he had bought for them.  "I thought you might be feeling hungover today after your night out with your friend, so I picked up coffee and croissants."  Seriously, why was he so damn nice?

"Thanks."  She said.  "That was very thoughtful of you. "

Danny walked back into the living room and set the two plates on the coffee table, while Clara grabbed the coffees.  

"So, tell me all about your day.  What was it like to meet the famous John Anderson?"  Danny asked.

Clara didn't really want to go into detail about it, so she only told him how quick each interaction was.  Since Amy had already lied to him about what she was doing last night, she didn't want to tell him about what happened after Amy left the pub.  She switched the subject off of John and talked about the craziness of the con and all the other things she and Amy saw.

"Well sounds like you had a great day."  He had glanced at the end of the table and saw her photo.  "Is that the picture you took?"

"It is."  She said as he picked it up to look at.

"Looks like a nice souvenir of your day."  He said as he studied the photo.  "You two look very happy together."  He joked.

Clara nearly choked on her coffee, but then saw that Danny was joking.  She smiled at him and took the photo back.  "What can I say, he's a good actor.  So enough about my day, what did you get up to yesterday?"

The two finished their breakfast while Danny talked about his Saturday.  Clara on the other hand wasn't very focused on his stories, because she couldn't stop thinking about John.  What was she going to do?  She couldn't very well continue a relationship with Danny if she was going to date John.  However, was she really going to date John?  Sure, he had asked her for dinner, but was he really going to call?  She was starting to flip out and needed to talk to Amy.

Danny had finished his story, so Clara took this as an opportunity to get him to leave.  She couldn't focus on what she needed to do with him being all sweet and what not in her living room.

"Thanks for all this Danny."  She said.

"Oh no problem.  I was sort of hoping we might be able to go to the cinema this afternoon.  If you'd like?"  He asked.

"That sounds lovely, but I can't.  I have a ton of marking to do for tomorrow."  

"You sure?  I could help you mark after?"  He offered.

"That's sweet, but no."  She replied.

"Okay."  He said disappointedly.  The two got up from the couch and made their way over to the door.  "I'll see you tomorrow."  Danny leaned forward to try and give Clara a kiss, but she turned her head to the side, so he kissed her cheek instead.  He looked at her a bit confused.

"Sorry, coffee breath."  She said.

They said goodbye and Clara quickly shut the door to go find her phone.  She picked it up and immediately called Amy.

"It's about time you called me."  Amy said into the phone.

"Sorry, I would have called sooner, but Danny showed up.  Can you get over here now?  I desperately need to talk and I don't want to do it over the phone."

"Say no more, I'm on my way."  Amy replied.

Thirty minutes later, Amy was walking into Clara's flat.  

"Okay, let me get comfortable before you dish."  She said as Clara closed the door behind her.

The two sat on the couch and Clara told Amy about her night after she left.  Amy was completely captivated by her story and didn't dare interrupt her until the end.

"Let me get this straight.  John Anderson walked you home, exchanged numbers with you, asked you on a date and kissed you good night?"  

"Yes, well it was just a peck on the cheek."  

"Clara!"  Amy screamed.  "This is incredible!"

"I know!"  Clara exclaimed with equal enthusiasm.  After a brief squeeing moment, the two calmed down.

"Except, I have one problem Amy."

"What?"

"Danny."  Clara said.  "What about Danny?"

"What about him?  You yourself said there wasn't any chemistry.  You have been gushing about John since the moment I walked in.  Hell, you've been gushing about him even before you met him.  Seems like a no brainer to me."  Amy said.

Clara sighed.  "But I still feel like John is a fantasy.  I mean, how can I have a serious relationship with a man who spends 9 months of the year working in a different city?  Not to mention, he probably runs in a totally different social circle.  I'm a school teacher who spends her nights watching TV and he spends them attending the BAFTAs!   Danny just seems more like the person I should be with."

"You're daft, you know that, right?  Yes, Danny is a good guy, but Clara, you clearly have stronger feelings for John.  Danny doesn't stand a chance."  Amy reiterated.  

Clara banged her head on the back of the couch out of sheer frustration.

"Okay, let me ask you.  Have you and Danny agreed to not see other people?"

"No, we've never talked about it."  Clara asked

"Well it's time you did.  If you seriously can't decide which man you want to be with, and let me add I do, then you need to date both of them."

"I don't know if I can do that, Amy.  I've never been the kind of girl who could date more than one person at a time."

“It's not hard Clara.”  Amy advised.  “Just don't sleep with either of them until you’re ready to commit.”

“I need to think for a bit, but I do feel better.  Thanks Amy.”  Clara smiled at her best friend.

Amy left Clara with her thoughts.  She knew what Clara was going to do, but couldn’t wait to watch it all play out.  It was her own live version of Coronation Street.

Clara spent the afternoon marking essays and thinking about her situation.  She had been dating Danny for a couple of months and couldn't just drop a good thing because a fantasy walked into her life.  However, Amy was right and she would regret it for the rest of her life if she didn't at least see what there was between her and John.  Maybe he wasn't even looking for a relationship, and all this worry was for nothing.  She had two weeks before John was back in town and during that time she would have a chat with Danny.

\-------

John had been in Glasgow for more than a week and was currently enjoying the solitude of his sister's house.  She had taken the kids to the park and for the first time since he arrived, he had a moment to himself.  His thoughts immediately turned to Clara and how he couldn't wait to get back to London.  He had been enjoying his time with his family, but he really wanted to see her.  They had had such a great night that he really wanted to see where it could lead.  He knew that he had told her he would call when he got back, but he wanted to hear her voice, if for anything just to confirm she was real and he didn't imagine the whole thing.  He picked up his phone and dialed her number.  Unfortunately, she didn't answer and he got her voicemail.  He hung up, not really knowing what to say.  He decided to send her a text instead.

**John:  Hi.  Just wanted to touch base and say that I'm really looking forward to seeing you when I get back to London.**

He hit send before he had a chance to chicken out.  

Clara had been sitting in class prepping for her tomorrow's lesson, while her students were writing a test.  Her phone was sitting next to her and she couldn’t help but notice the screen light up.  She looked over and saw that it was John calling.  Damn his timing!  She had punished her students so many times for using their phones in class, that she couldn't answer it.  She hoped he would leave a message.  A few minutes later, she saw that he had sent a text.  There was still ten minutes left of class and they were going to be the longest ten minutes ever.  Finally, the bell rang and she was able to check her phone.  She couldn't help the smile that came across her face as she read his text.

"I hope that smile is because you know it's the end of the day and you're that much closer to our date tonight."  Danny said as he entered.

Clara looked up surprised and quickly put her phone down.  She really had to talk to him tonight because she felt like she was cheating on him even though technically she wasn't.

"Uhm yeah, of course."  She smiled at him.  He returned her smile and walked further into the room to give her a quick kiss on the lips.  

"I was thinking, maybe instead of going out for dinner, you could come over and I'll cook for you."  Danny asked hopefully.

"That sounds great, but I really had my heart set on fish and chips.  Maybe some other time."  Clara responded.  She knew Danny had been trying to get her alone for the last week, and likely because he wanted to take it to the next level, but Clara didn't want to do that.  She needed to talk to him and alone in his house was not the place she wanted that conversation. 

"Sure, no problem."  He said disappointedly.  "How about I swing by yours at 7." 

Clara agreed and Danny left.  Finally, she was able to respond to John.

**Clara:  Hi.  Great to hear from you.  I'm looking forward to seeing you as well.  When will you be back?**

She hit send and waited to see if he would respond.  Sure enough he did.

John had waited about 15 minutes before he heard his phone ding.  He was quick to grab it as he was sure it was Clara and it was.  He read the message and smiled at her question.  Seemed that maybe she was just as excited to see him as he was to see her.  He didn't waste any time in responding.

**John:  I'll be back on Friday.  Do you want to have dinner that night?**

Clara was trying not to freak out, but she couldn't help it.  He was returning on Friday and wanted to see her that night.  Her stomach was currently being attacked by butterflies, while she typed her response.

**Clara:  That would be great.**

John couldn't have been happier.  He was going to see her again in three days.  He needed to think of a place to take her that would be quiet and there would be little chance of him being recognized.  The last thing he wanted on this date was to be interrupted by fans.

**John:  Fantastic!  Is 7 ok?  I can pick you up.**

Oh my god he was going to come to her flat!  Clara's smile just kept getting bigger and bigger.

**Clara: That would be nice.**

**John:**    **Perfect.  See you** **then.**

Clara was grinning from ear to ear.  Friday could not come soon enough, but first she had to talk to Danny.  She packed up her stuff and headed home to prepare for her date.

\----------

Like the good ex-soldier he was, Danny showed up right at 7.  Clara invited him in thinking that it might be better to have the talk here instead of at a restaurant.  Danny sat down on the sofa and Clara joined him. 

“I was hoping we might be able to talk before we go out.”  Clara said. 

“Uhm, sure.  What did you want to talk about?”  Danny asked nervously.

“Well we haven't really had a talk about our relationship.”  Clara said, unsure of how to start the next bit.

“I didn't think we needed to have the talk. I know I'm not seeing anyone else and neither are you.”

“Uhh, well.  Here's the thing…”  Clara started to say but then Danny interrupted her.

“You're seeing someone else?”  

Clara nodded.

“I see.”  Danny said curtly.

“I understand if you're hurt, and I should have told you sooner.”

“How long have you been seeing this other person?”

“Well technically, we haven't been out yet.  I just met him over a week ago and he asked me to dinner.”  

"You agreed to go to dinner with someone you just met and don't even know?  Where did you meet him?”  He asked getting slightly angry.

Clara wasn't sure she wanted to tell him how because it might give away who, but she wanted to be honest.  “I met him at the convention and then again after at the pub.”

Danny took a breath to calm himself.   “So some guy at the comic con chatted you up and then followed you to the pub and now you want to date him?”  

“It wasn't like that.”  Clara said.  “He didn't follow me to the pub.”

“Clara you don't know that.  You don't even know this person.  He could be a serial killer for all you know.  He could be the next Jack the Ripper.”  Danny said getting slightly upset.

“He's not, okay.”  

“You don't know for certain.  Clara you have no idea what..”

“It's John Anderson!”  She shouted to get him to stop talking.

“What?”  Danny looked at her in awe.

“The guy I met is John Anderson.”  She sighed.  “He was at the pub after the convention and recognized me from earlier in the day and offered to buy Amy and I a drink.  I agreed because I wasn't about to pass up an opportunity like that.  I’m sorry, but I just couldn't.  Amy left, but I stayed.”

“So you slept with him.”

“No!”  Clara exclaimed, shocked that Danny would even suggest that.  “Look.  We talked, he walked me home and he asked me to dinner.  I have been so torn as to what to do Danny.  I really like you and I think that we could have something good here, but I also like John and I don't know what could happen there.  All I know is that if I don't at least see, I'll regret it for the rest of my life and I can't be with you and have that regret.  I understand if you don't want to see me anymore, but I do want to still see where this can go.”  She said as she pointed between herself and him.

“While also dating a celebrity?”  Danny stated.  “How can I compete with that Clara?  He can take you places I never can.”  

“It's not a competition.  I know it might seem that way, but it's not.  When I'm with you, I'm with you.  No talking about him.”  Clara reassured him.

“I don't know Clara.  I really like you too, but I don't know if I could handle it knowing that John Anderson is doing things to you that I've only dreamt of doing.”

“Okay, well rule number one, no sex.  With either of you.  Not until I know who I want to commit to.”

Danny sighed.  He really wasn't sure about this and Clara needed to try and convince him.  She wasn't ready to throw this away for something that may not happen.

"Also, to be fair.  You can date other women."  She suggested.

Danny looked at her.  "I don't want to date anyone else, I just want to date you."

That broke Clara's heart a little.  Maybe she was making a mistake.  Danny got up from the couch and walked over towards the door.

"I need time to think about this.  I don't want to lose you, Clara.  But I also don't want to share you."  He opened the door and left leaving her alone on her couch.  She felt horrible knowing that she just hurt Danny.  He had been so great to her and she repaid him by telling him she wants to date her celebrity crush.  She was mad!  This whole thing was mad.  She picked up her phone, debating if she should just call the whole thing off with John.


	11. Chapter 11

A couple of days had passed since Danny had walked out of Clara's apartment.  She hadn't spoken to him, as it seemed he was avoiding her.  He wasn't eating lunch in the staff room and he was nowhere to be found after school.  She decided it was likely best to give him space and not push him.  She had also decided to go ahead with her date with John.  She had stared at her phone for 30 minutes having an internal debate and eventually her curiosity won out.  

Clara was just about to walk out of her class when she almost walked into Danny.

“Oh.  Sorry.”  She said.

“It's ok.”  He replied.  "I was hoping we could talk for a second."

The two of them moved back into Clara's room and sat down in a couple of desks.

"I'm sorry for walking out the other night."  Danny stated.  "I just needed to wrap my head around what you were saying."

"Sure."  Clara replied.

"I understand that you have had a crush on this guy for some time, and that this probably all seems surreal."

"Well, yeah."  Clara confirmed.

"So of course, my immediate response was that I couldn't compete with him, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought I can.  People are often disappointed when a fantasy becomes reality, and I feel that this may be the case."  Danny sighed.  "If you need to date him to get it out of your system, I understand.  And when the time comes that he lets you down, I'll be there."

"Okay."  Clara said.

“So, no sex, and no discussing him, agreed?”

“Absolutely.”  She agreed.

“Okay, so dinner on Saturday?”  He asked.

“Sounds good.”

They made a plan for Saturday night and then Danny left.  Clara was happy he agreed, but could tell he had pulled back on his emotions and she couldn't blame him. Clara grabbed her bag and headed home.  She needed to do some cleaning and plan what she was going to wear on her date tomorrow night with John.

\--------

John had tried on about 10 different shirts and his room looked like a cyclone had gone through it. He finally decided to wear a pair of black trousers, a light coloured button up shirt, and his black blazer with the blue lining.  He also opted to wear his glasses as he was less recognizable in public with them.  He looked in the mirror and thought he looked good enough and hoped Clara liked it.  This was the first date he had been on in ages and he was incredibly nervous.  He went downstairs, grabbed the flowers he had bought earlier that day and headed out the door.  

Clara was putting the finishing touches on her makeup when she heard a knock at the door.  Her stomach flipped and she took a deep breath before she went to answer it.  She opened the door and smiled at the handsome man standing there.

John tried to say hello when Clara opened the door, but all speech was taken at the sight of her.  She was wearing a maroon halter dress that went to just above her knees, with a flowy bottom.  She was breath taking.

“You look gorgeous.”  He said, finally gaining the ability to speak.

“Thanks.”  She smiled at him trying not to freak out because John Anderson had just said she was gorgeous.  “You look really handsome.”

“Oh you’re too kind.”  He blushed and then revealed the flowers that were behind his back.  “These are for you.”

“Thank you.”  She said as she took the flowers from him.   “Come in, while I put these in water.”

John shut the door behind him and entered her flat.  He looked around while Clara was in the kitchen.  He really liked how comfortable it felt.  He walked into her living room and was looking at some pictures on her bookshelf, when Clara entered with the flowers in a vase. 

“That's my mom.”  She said as she set the flowers down on a table.

“It's a great picture.”  He said.  “Are the two of you close?”

“We were.”  She said as she went to stand next to him.  He looked at her and she elaborated.  “She passed when I was younger.”

“I'm so sorry.”  John said.

“Thanks, but it was a long time ago.  Anyway, could I get you a drink or something?” She asked trying to change the subject.

“Actually we should get going if we want to make our reservation.”

The two left her flat and walked to the restaurant.  John had picked a small Italian restaurant that wasn't far from Clara's so they could easily walk.  While they were on their way they chatted about John’s trip to see his family and Clara’s job.  Every now and then Clara noticed people stopping and looking at John, but it never seemed to faze him.

They arrived at the restaurant and were greeted by a very enthusiastic maitre d'.  John put his hand at the small of Clara's back as they were led to a small table.  They sat down and Clara took in the atmosphere. It was a very romantic place, with dim lighting and each table seemed intimate and not crowded by other patrons.   The waiter came over to take their drink order and John ordered a bottle of wine.

"I hope you like Italian?  I never thought to ask."  He said.

"I love it.  This is perfect."  

The waiter returned and poured them each a glass of wine.  Once he left, John raised his glass to Clara for a toast.

"To new possibilities."  He said as they clinked glasses.

Clara couldn't get over how handsome he was.  Never in a million years would she have imagined something like this would happen.  The two started chatting about food, while they were looking at the menu and after they ordered they continued their conversation.  They both found the other very easy to talk to and were never short of topics.  Clara started to feel more comfortable with John and decided to ask him questions about work.

"So how much can you tell me about your job?"  Clara asked.

"Well ask me what you want and I'll tell you if I can answer?"  He said smiling at her.

"Okay.  Is your character going to get together with Missy Davros' character?"

"God, I hope not."  John said with a groan.

"Oh, am I sensing something there?"

"She just can't take no for an answer.  She's been trying to convince me to go on a date with her for months and I keep saying no.  I don't like to date people I work with, well not like I actually go on dates, and she refuses to believe me."

"So, you weren't on a date with her the night we met?"  She asked.

John smiled at Clara.  "You did notice me that night."  He stated.

Clara blushed and then grinned.  "Busted."

John chuckled.  "No, I was not on a date with her.  She asked if I wanted to go for a drink as friends and then after I agreed, she tried desperately to get me to go back to her hotel.  I told her off after that, which I shouldn't have, but I don't regret it because then I met you."

"Flatterer.”  

The two continued talking throughout dinner and after.  Clara was quickly being charmed by the silver fox and was so enthralled with him that she hadn't even noticed they were holding hands across the table.  Both were leaning into each other, closing themselves off even more in the intimate space.  Clara needed to be careful because she could see herself falling hard for him, and she still wasn't sure what his intentions were.

“I had a really lovely time tonight. Thanks so much for dinner.”  Clara said after John had paid for the bill.   

“Me too.”  John said as he smiled at her.  “I don't really want the night to end.”

“It doesn't have to.  I know a little bar around the corner we could go get a drink at.”

“Well, lead the way Miss Oswald.”

They left the restaurant and walked hand in hand to the bar, but when they got there, there was a line up outside.

“Sorry, I guess I forgot it's Friday night.”

“That's okay.  Wait here and I'll see how long it's going to be.”  

Clara watched John walk up to the bouncer and started chatting to him.  The next thing she knew John had motioned for her to join him.  She left her spot and went to the front. 

“Go on in Mr. Anderson.”  The bouncer said.

John thanked the man and grabbed Clara's hand as they walked into the bar, where they were greeted by a man in a suit and taken to a back corner.  Clara had been here a few times before but had never noticed this section.  Probably because it was closed off with a sheer curtain that made it difficult to see the area.  It looked like a living room from a gothic castle with two couches, a coffee table and candelabras for lighting.  They sat next to each other on one of the sofas and John ordered a couple of cocktails for them.

“Wow.  Impressive.”  Clara said as she turned on the couch to face John.  He did the same but put his arm across the back and started caressing Clara's bare shoulder with his thumb.  This simple touch was sending shivers through her body and she could only imagine what it would feel like to have him touch more of her.

“Believe me this was not my intention.”  John said.  “Turns out the bouncer and the manager are fans of the show, so hence the VIP treatment.  I don't typically like this kind of attention, but if it means I get some privacy with you, I'll start throwing my name around.”  He winked at her.

The manager returned with their drinks and shut the curtain after he left, closing them off from the rest of the bar.  It was taking all of John’s will power to not kiss Clara.  He had been staring at her lips all night wondering what they would taste like.  Now she was sitting so close to him, he could feel her leg against his thigh. 

"So, Clara Oswald, is it safe for me to assume you would say yes to a second date?"  John asked.

God, she loved the way the r in her name rolled off his tongue.  Feeling bold from the alcohol, she placed her hand on top of his thigh and replied.  "I think it's safe to say I would say yes to many more."

John couldn't hold back any longer.  He leaned in and finally captured her lips.


	12. Chapter 12

At first Clara was surprised by the kiss because she wasn't expecting it, but within seconds she was returning his desire.  John’s hand, that had been on her shoulder, moved to caress the side of her face.  His lips were so soft and gentle and his kiss was better than Clara could have ever imagined.  John's other hand slid around her back as he tried to deepen the kiss, but as Clara felt his tongue touch her lips she panicked and pulled back.

Her heart was beating a mile a minute and her mind was racing.  She very easily could have let the kiss go further, but she knew if she had she would have been inviting him back to her place and she couldn't do that. 

John was breathless when Clara pulled away.  He had been wanting to taste her lips all night and as soon as she touched his thigh he lost all control.  He needed to take things slowly with her, but there was something about her that made him throw caution to the wind.  He was pretty sure she enjoyed the kiss, but he shouldn't have tried to deepen it.

“I'm sorry.”  John said.  “I shouldn't have done that.” He moved slightly away from Clara and looked at the table in front of him. 

“Don't apologise.”  She said as she took his hand to reassure him it was okay.  “I enjoyed it.”  John turned and smiled as Clara continued speaking.  “I just couldn't let it go further than that and if I  had let that kiss deepen, I would have been inviting you back to my place.  I really like you, but I need to take this slow.”

“I understand that.  I was hurt badly by my ex-wife and it took me a long time to feel like I could date again.”

Clara had remembered reading an article about his divorce from River Song and that she had cheated on him.  She wasn't sure how much of that was true, but from the sounds of it, it was.  She needed to be honest with him about Danny, so that she didn't hurt him as well.

“I'm glad that you decided to start dating again.”  Clara said.  “But I want to be honest with you and I'm not really sure how to have this conversation because I've never been in this position before.”  

“It's okay.”  John said, cutting her off.  “Just say it.  You're dating someone else.” 

Clara looked at him with sad eyes.  “Yes.”

“Clara, it's fine.  I knew you likely were.”

“How?”  

It was time for John to make a confession of his own.  

“The convention wasn't the first time I saw you.  I noticed you a couple of months earlier at the Cock and Bottle, but you were with some guy who looked like a PE teacher.”

“Oh my god.  You remembered me.”  Clara said shocked.

“How could I not.  I couldn't get you out of my mind.  I never thought I'd see you again until you were standing in front of me two weeks ago.”

“Wow.”  Clara was so stunned she didn't know what to say. 

“I'll admit that I was hoping PE was out of the picture and that's why you agreed to let me buy you a drink.”

“I'm sorry.”  Clara said.   “I'll understand if you don't want that second date.”

“Don't be silly.”  John said.  “Of course I want a second date.  And a third, and a fourth, and however many you're willing to give me.”

Clara smiled at him.  “Good.  So we agree to take this slow?”

“Slow and steady wins the race.”  John said as he touched her cheek.  “And this is one race I intend to win Clara Oswald.”

\----------

Clara woke up the next morning with a slight hangover.  She and John had had a couple more cocktails after their talk and now she was feeling the effects of that.  They had a really great night and John asked if she would like to see a movie with him on Sunday afternoon.  She realised that dating two men at the same time meant she was going to have a very active social life.  The control freak in her actually thought that maybe she should schedule certain days for each man, but then she thought that she had better not.  

She was in the middle of making her breakfast when her phone rang.  She answered not looking at the display because she thought it was Amy calling to find out about her date.  

“If you want to hear about it, come over and bring coffee.  I'm out”  She said as she was scraping her scrambled eggs on to her plate. 

“I don't know what I'm going to hear about, but I would love to bring you some coffee.”  John said on the other end of the phone.

“John!”  Clara exclaimed surprised it was him.  “Sorry I thought you were my friend Amy.”

John chuckled.  “That's okay.  I just called to see how you're feeling this morning.”

“Oh that's sweet.  Thanks.  I probably shouldn't have had that last drink, that's for sure.”

“Well, I would be more than happy to bring you coffee to help with the cure.”

Clara knew that she should say no because she had a date with Danny tonight, but her mouth was apparently not in agreement with her brain.

“I would love that, but are you sure?”  She asked.

“Absolutely.  Give me about an hour and I'll be over.”

“Okay.  See you in a bit.”  Clara hung up and quickly finished her breakfast so she could shower before he got there.

John set his phone on the table and smiled, just as Donna walked up to him and sat down.

“Let me guess, Clara?”  Donna said.

“Yes.”  He replied as he picked up the menu.  He had sent Donna a message last night after his date to invite her for breakfast, but now he was going to have to make it quick.

“So spill.  I want all the details.”

“It was great.  We had a really lovely time.”  John said.

“That's all you're going to tell me?”  She asked.

“Well I'm not going into details for you.”

“Did you kiss her?”

“None of your business.”  He said annoyed.

“That means yes.  So how was it?”  She kept prodding.

“Donna.”  John warned.

“Tongues?”

“Seriously we're not talking about this, so stop.”  John said sternly.

“Fine.  So, when are you going to see her again?”

"After we finish our breakfast."  Donna quirked an eyebrow at him, so he continued.  "She has a hangover and no coffee, so I offered to bring her some."

"That's awfully nice of you.  Sounds like you really like this girl."

"I do Donna, a lot."  John confessed.   "There's just one problem."

"What?"  She asked.

"She's seeing someone else.”  John proceeded to tell Donna about the other guy, PE as he liked to call him, and how Clara was unsure about who would be the better match for her.  Donna listened until the end of his story and then chimed in with her two cents.

"Well if you ask me it sounds like you have the advantage.”

“How so?”

"She had been dating him for two months when you walked into her life.  If she felt anything close to love for this guy, she wouldn't have agreed to a date with you.  My guess is that she's more attracted to you than to PE.”

“I hope so because I really like her.”  John added.

The two continued to eat their breakfast and chatted a bit about work and other mundane life events, but really all John could think about was Clara.  Their bill came and Donna paid, telling him to piss off and go get the girl.  So he did just that.  Now he was standing outside her flat with two coffees.

Clara had just finished drying her hair and doing her make up when she heard someone at the door.  She gave herself one last look over before she went to answer it.  

“Coffee delivery.”  John said as she opened her door.  Clara smiled and invited him.  

“You are a god send.”  She said as she took the coffee from him and took a sip.  Her body immediately felt better.  “Thanks so much for this.”

“Anytime.”  He replied as they sat down on her couch.  They started talking about the music Clara had on in the background, which led to talking about concerts that they had been to.  John was telling her about a Stones show he had seen once when there was a knock at the door. Clara glanced at her watch, worried for a moment that it might be Danny, but their date wasn't for another six hours.

She got up to answer it, feeling a little nervous that Danny may have decided to show up early.  She was relieved when she opened the door and saw Amy.

“Alright, I want all the details about your date with Mr. Silver Fox.”  Amy said as she walked in, not noticing John on the couch until it was too late.  

“Oh crap!”  She said as soon as she noticed him.  "I'm so sorry I didn't realise you were still on your date."

"Amy!"  Clara stopped her from talking.  "We're not still on our date, John just brought a coffee over for me."

"Oh."  Amy said, still a little shocked from seeing John.

Clara looked at John.  "John this is Amy.  You briefly met her a couple of weeks ago."  

John stood up and put his hand out to Amy.  "Nice to see you again, Amy."

Amy shook his hand.  "Hi.  Sorry about my big mouth."  

John laughed, "I would expect nothing less from a fellow Scot."  He let go of Amy's hand and turned to Clara.  "Well this silver fox is going to go and let you ladies discuss how wonderful a date I am."  He kissed Clara on the cheek and left saying he would see her tomorrow.

“I guess I don't have to ask how last night was.”  Amy said as the two got comfortable on the couch. 

“It was good.  At first I was really nervous when he showed up, but as soon as we started talking it went away.”  Clara said.  

“And what's it like dating a celebrity?  Did anyone recognise him?”

“A few people, but no one approached him.  I had almost forgotten he was famous until we went to the Mocha Bar after dinner.  We bypassed the line and got taken to a VIP area.”

“No way!  I didn't even know they had such a thing there.”  Amy responded.

“Me too.  It was nice.  Very private and secluded from the rest of the place.”  

“And did anything happen in this very private, secluded place?”  Amy asked, hoping the answer was yes.

“We kissed.”  Clara said.

“Shut up!  Like what kind of kiss are we talking?  Sweet and chaste, or passionate and full of tongues?”  Amy asked excitedly.

"Passionate, but no tongues.  John tried, but I got scared and pulled back."  Clara told her.

"Why!?"  Amy cried.

"Because I knew if I allowed it I wouldn’t have been able to stop!"  Clara exclaimed.  "Amy, I don't know what to do!  I've never been so attracted to a man before and I can't get him off my mind.  I have a date with Danny tonight and it's not fair to him if I can't stop thinking about John."  

"Okay, calm down."  Amy said as she hugged her friend.  "You're the one who wanted to date both of them, so think about why."

"I just didn't think I could have a normal relationship with John and I wasn't sure what he wanted.  But I told him about Danny last night and he wasn't even mad.  I thought he might think I was leading him on, but instead he said he understood."  Clara said as she looked at the flowers John at had brought her the night before.  "And he's looking for something serious, he just needs to move at a slow pace."

"Sounds to me like you have your answer."  Amy stated.  "Listen to your heart Clara.  It knows what you want way more than your brain."

Clara knew Amy was right.  She wasn't the kind of girl that could date more than one guy at a time.  However, she wasn't ready to make her decision just yet so she would wait until after her date tonight.  Amy and Clara chatted some more before Amy had to leave to meet Rory and Clara needed to get ready for her date.  She really hoped that she would have a better idea after tonight what she was going to do. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the feedback, kudos and encouragement! You guys are great and I really appreciate it :)

Danny showed up at Clara's determined to show her an amazing night.  He had planned a night of dinner and then watching As You Like It at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.   He hoped that the romantic setting would put Clara in the mood to go back to his place after.  

“Hi.”  Clara said as she answered the door with a smile. 

“Hi.”  He replied as he kissed her on the cheek and moved inside.  He handed her a small bouquet of flowers he picked up on his way over.  “Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady.” 

“Thanks.”  She said as she went to get a vase.   

Danny had moved into the living room and couldn't help but notice the vase of red roses sitting on her side table.  He didn't have to ask where she got them from because he knew exactly where.  This meant she had had a date with _him_. 

“These are really nice Danny.”  Clara said as she entered the room to put them on her shelf. 

“Not as nice as those.”  He said as he pointed towards the flowers that were clearly more expensive than his. 

Clara turned to look at the flowers John had bought her.  She should have moved them, but she wasn't thinking and forgot. 

“Hey, we agreed no talking about him.  Okay?”  Clara reminded him. 

“You're right.  I'm sorry.  Are you ready to go?"  He asked, changing the subject. 

"I am, just let me grab a sweater." 

They left her flat and walked towards the tube.  Danny had thought it was best to grab a bite closer to the park and there was a really quaint pizza place he wanted to take her to.  As they walked, Danny reached for Clara's hand and entwined his fingers through hers.  Danny was happy that she seemed open to the contact.  Twenty minutes later they were sitting in the restaurant ordering a medium pepperoni pizza to share.  The atmosphere wasn't as romantic as her date the night before, but it was still nice and very Danny.  

After their dinner they made their way over to the park to get a good spot for the play.  It was held in a small outdoor amphitheatre where everyone had to sit on grass.  Luckily Danny had come prepared and packed a blanket for them to sit on.  He had also packed some wine and glasses, so it was just like having a picnic.  He spread the blanket out while Clara poured the wine.  The two sat down to wait for the show and chatted about work and the upcoming parent's night.   

It was a lovely summer night and it was a beautiful spot, especially now that the sun was starting to set.  Clara felt Danny snuggle next to her, wrapping his arm around her side and pulling her closer to him.  It was this moment that Clara first thought of John.  She knew she should have let him pop into her head, but she couldn't help.  She had wished that it was him who was sitting next to her waiting for the play to start.  She pushed this thought out of her mind and focused on the show as it began. 

Two hours later the play was over and the two were packing up the blanket and getting rid of their garbage.  As they were making their way out of the park, Danny made sure to walk them past one of the ponds.   

"Do you mind if we just sit for a moment and enjoy the night?"  Danny asked. 

"Sure."  Clara said as the two sat on a bench.  Danny put his arm around Clara and she rested her head on his shoulder. 

"Thanks for a really lovely night, Danny." 

"Well it's not over yet."  Danny said. 

Clara sighed.  She knew she had to tell Danny the truth, but she was so afraid of breaking his heart.  However, it wasn't fair that she had been thinking about another man most of the night.  

"I was kind of hoping you might come back to my place?"  He asked, when Clara hadn't responded to his previous statement. 

"Oh Danny.  I can't."  She replied. 

"Because of _him_."  Danny said. 

Clara sat up and looked him in the eyes.  "Yes because of him."   

Danny moved his arm away from her.  "Oh, come on Clara.  You can't be serious about him?" 

"What the hell does that mean?"  Clara said starting to get angry. 

"He's old enough to be your dad!"  He yelled. 

"And?"  She said standing up from the bench. 

"And you should be with someone your own age."  Danny said, a little calmer.    

Clara started pacing back and forth in front of the bench.  Any conflict she was having about the two men in her life was gone.  "This is clearly not going to work."  She said.  "You can't handle me dating someone else and honestly Danny, neither can I." 

"What are you saying?"  He asked, knowing the answer. 

"I can't see you anymore."  She finally said.  “I'm sorry Danny.   I never meant to do this to you.” 

Danny stood up.  “Fine.  If that's what you want.”  He started to walk away.    

“Don't walk away like this.  Can't we just talk about it?”  She asked, wanting to try and calm him down.  

“There's nothing to talk about Clara.   You've made your decision.”  He turned and walked away leaving her behind.    

Clara felt horrible because she didn't want it to end this way.  Although she didn't know why she was expecting him to be okay with it.  She had just hoped they could have talked about it and she could make him understand why it wasn't going to work between them.  He deserved better than her and she wanted him to know that.  Perhaps after he had time to calm down she could talk to him and they could work towards being friends, but deep down she knew that was not going to happen any time soon.  She started walking to the tube and suddenly had this need to hear John's voice, so she pulled out her phone and called him. 

“Hello.”  He said, sounding a little groggy. 

“Oh no, did I wake you up.”  Clara said into the phone.   

“No worries.  I had just gone to sleep, but I don't mind being woken up by you.”  He said. 

“I'm sorry.  I didn't even realise the time.  I won't keep you.  I just wanted to see if you wanted to watch a movie at my place tomorrow?  I could make you dinner?”  She offered. 

John could hear a hint of sadness in her voice.  “Clara, are you okay?  You sound a little sad.” 

“Yeah I'm fine.  I just wanted to hear your voice and invite you for dinner.”  She didn't know why she was trying to fight back tears, but she was. 

"Where are you?"  He asked. 

"I was just leaving Regent's Park." 

"Okay.  Are you far from Primrose Hill?"  He asked. 

"I guess about a fifteen-minute walk.  Why?" 

"Because I don't live far from there and I'm coming to meet you."  He said. 

"Oh John, you don't need to meet me.  You were sleeping.  Just go back to bed and I'll see you tomorrow."  Clara said because she felt bad about waking him up, but really her heart raced at the idea of seeing him again. 

"Nonsense."  He said.  "I'm up and I've just put my trousers on." 

Clara suddenly had a vision of him sleeping naked and a rush of heat went through her. 

"I'll meet you on the corner of Regent's Park Road and Albert Terrace, okay?" 

"Alright, see you in a bit."  She said and started walking in that direction.  She felt a little better knowing she was on her way to see him, but she couldn't get the image of Danny walking away out of her mind.  She had really hurt him.  She was stupid for thinking she could try and date two men at the same time.  Not when her attraction for John was so strong.  Ten-minutes had past and Clara had finally reached the corner and saw John standing there under a lamp post.  He smiled and waved when he saw her. 

"Hi."  She said as she approached.  

He returned the greeting and leaned in and kissed her cheek.  He took her hand and started walking towards his place. 

"I'm really sorry about this."  Clara said still feeling bad about bothering him. 

"Don't be.  I'm glad I get to see you."  He assured her.  "So, you want to tell me what happened?" 

"Maybe in a bit.  Where are we going by the way?" 

"My place."  He said. 

Clara stopped walking causing John to stop and look at her. 

"What's wrong?"  He said. 

"You're taking me to your place?  I'm going to see where you live?"  She questioned as the fangirl inside of her made a brief appearance. 

"Yes.  Is that okay?"  John asked confused.  He had been to her place just this morning, so why would it be strange for her to come to his. 

"Um, yeah."  Clara said as she shook her head to wrap her mind around the situation.  "Sorry.  My inner fangirl just freaked out for a moment.  John Anderson, just said he was taking her to his place and she panicked."   

John chuckled.  "Well, fangirl Clara, John Smith would like to take ordinary Clara to his place.  Is that okay?" 

She laughed and took his hand again.  "Absolutely." 

He wasn't exaggerating when he said he lived close.  His place was literally up the street and around the corner.  They entered his house and John gave her a quick tour of the main floor.  He had a really lovely home that was nicely decorated with a combination of art and photos on the walls, bookcases full of books and records in the living room, and a big kitchen towards the back.  She immediately felt at home.  He finished the tour in the kitchen, where he put the kettle on to make some tea and then led her back into the living room where they sat on the couch. 

"So, do you want to tell me now what happened?"  John asked trying not to push. 

"I had a date with Danny tonight."  Clara said.  "It didn't end well." 

John wanted to jump for joy but knew he couldn't in front of her.  "How did it end?" 

"I broke his heart.  I just couldn't date both of you at the same time.  Not when my heart keeps telling me that you’re the one I want to be with."  Clara confessed. 

John couldn't help but smile.  He took Clara's hand and brought it to his lips and placed a soft kiss on top of it.   "I'm sorry that you feel bad, but you have just made me a very happy man."  Just then the kettle started to whistle, so John got up to turn the stove off. 

Clara felt a little better, but she was still sad about breaking Danny's heart.  She should have never dated him in the first place.  If she had just said no to their first date, he wouldn't be feeling horrible right now.  Tears came to her eyes, just as John walked back in with two cups of tea.  He saw her and quickly set the teas down.  He sat next to her on the couch and pulled her into an embrace.  She immediately nestled into him letting her tears flow.  John decided it was probably best to just let her cry and leaned back into the corner of the couch bringing Clara with him.  It wasn't long before John heard her stop crying and her breathing change.  He looked down and saw that she had fallen asleep.  He pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and laid it over her.  He made himself more comfortable and it wasn't long before he drifted off. 


	14. Chapter 14

Clara woke up and was suddenly aware that she was not in her bed and was definitely not in her home. She was covered with a blanket and a warm body next to her, which meant she must have fallen asleep while crying on John's shoulder last night. How could she have done that? They had only just met and now she had gone and spent the night with him, albeit innocently, but too soon nonetheless. She should have never come here and now she wanted nothing more than to get home. She was starting to feel as if her life was out of control, which was not a good feeling for a control freak. She sat up and noticed that there was a little bit of light peeking through the curtains, which meant that it was early morning. She looked over at John who was still asleep. She slowly got up from the couch, trying not to wake him, but no such luck.

"Sorry. I guess I fell asleep?" She said as he opened his eyes.

"That's okay. What time is it?" He said as he looked at his watch. "Oh, wow it’s 6 AM." He stood up and stretched feeling really stiff from sleeping in an awkward position.

"I'll go make some coffee." He said.

"Um, that's okay, I should really go." She said as she stopped him and moved towards the front door.

John followed her. "Are you sure? It's barely morning."

Clara picked up her purse from where she left it the night before and had one hand on the door knob wanting to flee as quickly as possible.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Thanks for last night. I'm really sorry for dumping on you like that." She said as she opened the door.

"Clara, wait." John said, trying to get her to stop so he could understand why she was running away so fast. Clara stopped on the front step and looked back at him. "Are we still on for this afternoon?"

"Yeah, just come by my place around two and we'll decide what to do." She said as she walked down the stairs.

John watched her take off down the street until he could no longer see her and then shut his front door. He was happy that she agreed to still see him but was incredibly confused as to why she rushed off. Did he do something wrong? Maybe he should have woken her up last night and offered to drive her home. Did she change her mind about PE? He was sure after their talk that her feelings for him were stronger, but now he wasn't feeling so confident. He would talk to her later about it, but right now he needed coffee.

\-------

Clara got home and immediately called Amy. 

“Do you know what time it is?” Amy said as she answered the phone half asleep.

“I'm sorry, I just really needed to talk to you.” Clara said sounding agitated.

“Okay." Amy said a little more awake, noticing that her friend was in distress. "Tell me what's wrong."

“Everything!"

“Start at the beginning." Amy said trying to calm her down.

Clara told her about her date with Danny and how sweet he was, but she couldn't stop thinking about John the entire time. She went on to explain how she had decided by the end of the date that she needed to end it with him and had tried to think of a way to break it to him gently. However, that didn't happen and instead they got into a fight because Danny just couldn't understand what she saw in John. 

"Amy, I've really messed this up. I like Danny and I really want to be friends with him, obviously not right now, but perhaps in time." She said as she sighed. 

“A lot of time Clara, but you did the right thing. So, if all of this happened after the play, why are you calling me now and not last night?” 

“Because I did a stupid thing after Danny stormed off.”

Amy knew Clara very well and had a good idea of what she was going to say. "No Clara! Please tell me you didn't call John."

"I did." She replied quietly into the phone. 

“What happened?"

“Well it turned out I wasn't far from his home so he met me and took me back to his place.”

“Oh my god, you slept with him!” Amy stated in shock.

“No!" Clara exclaimed. "Well not like that. I was upset about hurting Danny and cried on his shoulder. Eventually I fell asleep and woke up this morning with him holding me on the couch."

"That's sweet." Amy responded.

"Yeah, but I panicked and practically ran out of his house."

"Why?" Amy questioned.

"Because I was crying to him about another man and then fell asleep on him. Amy I've just met him and despite saying we want to take it slow, I feel like we're not."

"Okay, calm down. What you need to do is put all of this behind you. Danny is going to be mad but let him. You did nothing wrong. You were confused about your feelings, but now you're not. And now you can focus on getting to know John and see what can happen."

"As always you're right. Thanks." Clara said. She was so lucky to have a friend like Amy. She was always straight and honest with her, even if Clara didn't want to hear it. She ended her call with Amy and decided to get a little more rest before she saw John again. And when she did she would apologise for running off and make things right.

\----------

John showed up at Clara's right at two. She invited him in knowing they needed to talk before they could go out. They went and sat in the living room, Clara on the couch and John in a chair next to her.

“Clara, John,” They both said at the same time. 

“Sorry. You go first.” John insisted.

“I'm really sorry for rushing off this morning. I panicked when I woke up, feeling embarrassed and perhaps overwhelmed about the situation.” Clara apologised.

"Don't be ridiculous." John answered. "I'm glad you called and you have nothing to be embarrassed about."

"We've only just met, John. I shouldn't have been crying to you about what happened last night, I should have been crying to my best friend. Then add on top of that I fell asleep. I intruded on your space and I shouldn't have."

John got up from his chair and moved next to Clara on the couch. He took her hands in his. "First, you didn't intrude, I invited you. And second, you can cry on my shoulder any time you want about whatever you want." John took a breath and hesitated at what he was going to say next. "Look, I know that breaking up with PE wasn't easy, so if you want to take some time to wrap your head around everything, I'll understand."

"No." She exclaimed. "That's not what I want. What I want is to see where this can go, but I need to take a bit of a step back. We just had our first date on Friday and I feel like this is now our fourth, 2 days later. I have never felt this attracted to a man before, John, and to be honest it scares the crap out of me." 

"I know what you mean. I'm sorry if I pushed too much yesterday. There's just something about you that I want to be around all the time." John said.

"So, we agree to slow this down and take our time getting to know each other." Clara stated.

"Yes, be prepared to be wooed Miss Oswald." John smiled at her and kissed the top of her hand. "Starting right now. I'm taking you to a movie and then dinner."

They left Clara's flat and grabbed a cab to the cinema. They had agreed on a comedy, since they were both in need of a little laughter and it was a movie that had been out for a while, so the theater was pretty empty. About half way through the film, John had reached for Clara's hand and held it until the credits rolled. When they left they decided to have sushi at a Japanese place down the street. While they were walking, they passed a couple of women who shouted John's name. He stopped and turned towards them, so the two approached him.

"Oh my god! It is you!" The one woman said to him. "I told you it was him!" She said to her friend.

"Hi." John said being incredibly polite.

"Could we get a photo?" The other girl asked.

"Absolutely." He replied. The women posed for a selfie with him and then thanked him once it was taken.

John walked back to Clara. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay. I imagine if I'm going to date you it's something I need to get used to." She smiled at him.

"I'm afraid so." He took her hand and continued their walk to the restaurant, completely unaware that the women were taking their picture behind them.

They had a really great dinner, during which, Clara opened up a bit to John about her family. She told him about her dad, her step-mum and most importantly her gran. John in turn did the same. At the end of dinner, the two shared a cab back to drop Clara at home. During the ride, she asked John if he wanted to come up for a drink, but he didn't trust himself enough to be alone with her in her flat. The cab pulled up in front of Clara's flat and John asked the driver to wait for him while he walked her to her door. 

"Thanks for tonight." Clara said. "I had a really great time."

"Me too. When can I see you again?" John asked.

"I'm free next weekend." Clara responded.

"Perfect. I'll call you this week to decide what to do." John smiled at her. He wanted so badly to kiss her but wasn't sure how Clara would feel about it. 

John wasn't moving and Clara could tell that he was perhaps too nervous to kiss her. Who could blame him after the weekend they had had. She decided to put him out of his misery.

"It's okay if you want to kiss me John." She smiled at him.

That was all the invitation he needed. He moved his hands to her arms and pulled her towards him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. As he bent his head down to meet hers, her heart started pounding so loudly she would have sworn he could hear it. Finally, his lips met hers in a soft, gentle kiss. It wasn't long before he moved his hands up her arms with one caressing the side of her face and the other going to the back of her head to run through her hair. Upon feeling his hands move Clara stepped closer to him and pressed her body against his. John couldn't take it anymore and needed to taste more of her, so he flicked his tongue across her lips, which Clara welcomed and deepened the kiss. They continued until Clara needed air, so she slowly pulled away. John placed a couple of light kisses on her lips, helping them to both calm down.

"I should get going." He said, still holding Clara in his arms smiling from ear to ear.

"Yeah." She said as she leaned up and placed another quick kiss on his lips.

They finally parted and John waited until Clara was safe inside before he got back in the cab to head home to a cold shower. He wasn't sure how slow they were going to take this, but he knew he was likely going to be in for a lot of cold showers over the coming weeks.


	15. Chapter 15

A week had gone by since Clara had seen John.  They had spoken a few times throughout the week, but only through texts to see how the other was doing and to make plans for tonight's date.  They were going to the Tate Modern for one of their after-hours nights and then to dinner.  She was really looking forward to seeing the exhibits with John since he had gone to art school and likely knew far more about paintings then she ever could.  

She still had another hour before he was going to arrive, so she decided to surf the net for a bit.  She had been so busy juggling her social life that she actually hadn't been on Facebook since she had started dating John.  When she logged on, her news feed was flooded with images of him, which was normal prior to the London Comic Con but now felt weird.  She clicked on one of the groups she frequented and started scrolling through. It was strange looking at the pictures knowing that she had kissed this man and if things kept going the way they were, likely more.  She stopped when she saw a selfie of John and two woman that looked familiar.  It wasn't until she scrolled to the next photo that she saw why.  Right there for the world to see was a picture of her and John holding hands walking down the street.  She didn't know how to feel about it.  She was glad that it was taken from behind, so you couldn't see her face, but she was a private person who never posted photos on Facebook or any other social media. She only had the accounts so that she could find pictures of John.  She stared at the picture and saw that people had commented on it.  She hovered over the area to click debating if she wanted to see what people had written.  Eventually her curiosity won out and she clicked it.

_OMG!  Who is this lucky girl?!_

_Nooooo_ _!  My chances can't be ruined! LOL_

_Maybe it's just his daughter.  He has a daughter, right?  Please someone say I'm right!_

Clara couldn't read any more.  His daughter?!  What kind of fan was this who didn't even know that he doesn't have children?  And what kind of father walks down the street holding their grown daughter's hand like that?  Clara decided it was best to get off the computer.  She shut it down and went to check her hair and makeup one last time before John arrived.  As she was fixing a stray strand of hair, she started to wonder if there were more pictures out there.  She tried to put the thoughts out of her mind and tried to focus on something else.  She let her mind wander to the kiss she and John shared at the end of their last date and immediately felt her pulse beat faster.  It had been a great kiss and she was looking forward to more.  She knew they agreed to take it slow, but she wasn't sure how long she was going to be able to hold on to that promise.  A knock came to the door, taking her from her daydream. Clara opened the door and couldn't help but smile at the handsome man standing in front of her.

"You look gorgeous."  He said as he kissed her cheek.

"Thanks.  You look pretty handsome yourself."  She smiled at him.  "I have to say, I really like it when you wear your glasses."

John chuckled.  "It's my Clark Kent disguise."

"Yeah, and how does that work out for you Superman?"  Clara laughed as she grabbed her bag and the two made their way downstairs to the waiting cab.  As she was getting in John couldn't help but stare at her legs and completely subconsciously stuck his tongue out to wet his lips.  Clara couldn't help but notice and smiled.

"Down tiger."  She said as he got in the car beside her.  

John smiled and winked at her. “Can't I look, but not touch?”

“Who said no touching?”  Clara replied.  Two could play at this game.

John raised an eyebrow at her and she just grinned at him.  He decided that this was a dangerous game that needed to end now before he did something in the back of this cab that he shouldn't.  He took her hand in his and changed the subject to something a little safer.

Once at the museum they moved through the different rooms looking at the different works of art.   From time to time John would stop and explain a piece to her, describing the brush strokes and moods of the artists.   Each time he did he would always lay his hand on the small of her back and lean in to almost whisper in her ear.   Leaving Clara incredibly turned on from his words and the feel of his hot breath on her neck.  If he kept this up, it wouldn't be long before she was taking him to bed.  After some time had passed they decided to move up to the viewing level for a drink.

The two were enjoying a glass of wine, while looking at the glimmering lights of London.  They were just discussing their plans for the week ahead when a couple approached them and asked if they could take a photo with John and get an autograph.  A couple of more people came over, having recognized him as well, and before Clara knew it she was being pushed aside while John took photos and signed cocktail napkins.  She stood off to the side and watched as he patiently interacted with each fan, occasionally glancing her way to give her an apologetic smile.  This was all so surreal and reminded her about the photo she saw earlier.  She really liked John and hoped that this would go beyond a couple of dates, but she wasn't sure if she would ever get used to this.   Finally, the last fan left and John returned to Clara.

“I'm really sorry about that.”  He said as he took his wine glass from her.

"It's okay.  I just don't know how you handle it.  I mean one second we're having a completely normal evening and then the next you're surrounded by fans.”

John smiled at Clara.  “Practice, time, and understanding.  It freaked me out the first few times it happened because although I had been warned, you just can't prepare for it.  I did a few cons in America and that really helped.  But most of all, I understand what it's like to be a fan and I want to make sure they walk away feeling good.  I will always remember when I was them and without them I wouldn't be where I am today.”

“That's really nice of you.  And speaking as someone who is also a fan, I can appreciate that, but I have to say that was a bit overwhelming."

"I'm sorry.  I wish there was some way I could ease you into this, but I'm afraid there isn't a handbook on how to date a celebrity."  He smiled at her trying to comfort her.  "Why don't we go and find a quiet restaurant for dinner?"  

John had really hoped that Clara would be okay with him being famous.  Up until now there hadn't been many interactions, so she hadn't really experienced the full magnitude of it.  It was the one thing he was worried about when it came to dating someone who wasn't part of the industry.  Hopefully with some time, she'll get used to it, but for now he just needed to take her some place low key.

"That would be great.  I'm actually getting a little hungry."  Clara responded.

They finished their wine and made their way towards the exit.  Just as they were about to leave, John noticed a small group of people standing near the doors outside.  He was afraid this might happen but had hoped it wouldn't.  

"Hold on a second, Clara."  John said as he grabbed her hand to stop her from opening the door.

"What is it?"

"There's a small group out there that I can tell have gathered waiting for me to come out."  Normally he would have been okay with it and gone out to meet the fans, but he was always alone in those situations. 

"How do they even know you're in here?"  She asked.

"The Internet is a powerful thing."  He looked around and noticed a staff member.  He walked over and asked to speak to her supervisor.  An older gentleman returned and immediately recognised John, who explained the situation.  He took them to a back-emergency exit.

"Again, I'm really sorry about that." John said, now standing outside.  "Do you still want to have dinner?"  He asked, pretty sure she was going to say no.

"I do."  Clara responded.

"Good.  I'm just not sure where to go because the place I wanted to take you to is too close to here."

Clara thought for a second.  "I have an idea.  Do you like curries?"

"Love them."  John smiled, happy that she wasn't ready to end their date.

"Great.  There's a good take out restaurant near my place.  We can grab some food and take it to my flat.  If that's okay?" 

"That sounds perfect, actually."

The two hailed a cab and headed back to Clara's neighbourhood, got their food and were now sitting in Clara's flat eating.  

“This is nice.”  John said as he took a sip from his wine.  “I'm really sorry about all that back at the museum.”  He apologised again.

“It's okay John.  You don't need to keep apologising.”  Clara stopped eating and decided to open up a bit to John.  “Look, obviously this whole thing has been a bit surreal and strange for me.  Just a few weeks ago you were some guy who showed up on my teley once a week and now you're sitting in my flat eating curry. I think I got a little unnerved because just before you came over tonight I was on Facebook and saw a picture of you and I that was taken by some fans we ran into last week.  I try not to put my photo on the net, so the fact that there was one posted by a total stranger freaked me out.”

John put his fork down and stood up.  For a second Clara thought that he was about to leave, but instead he pulled a chair over next to her and took her hand in his.  “If we continue this, I will do my best to protect you from that, but I can't guarantee that you won't be photographed.  I have enjoyed every moment I have spent with you Clara Oswald and I will be devastated if you say you don't want to see me anymore, but if this is something you don't think you can handle, then it's probably best we end this now before our feelings grow stronger."

Clara stared at John, not sure how she wanted to answer him.  Of course, she didn't want this to end, but he was right.  If she couldn't ever accept this part of his life, there was no sense in continuing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliff hanger! I promise to make it up to you in the next chapter :) Thanks for all the great feedback and encouragement! It really motivates me to keep writing.


	16. Chapter 16

John was starting to get scared because Clara hadn't answered him yet.  He wasn't ready to lose her from his life, not when they had barely gotten things started.  

"I'm not giving up on us yet.  I just need some time to adjust and get used to it."

"Good."  John said as he stood up and kissed her on the forehead.  "Now let's finish dinner, so we can get to the snogging on the couch portion of the date."  

Clara chuckled.  "Who said we're going to do that?"

"I just did, so eat up."  John said as he picked up his fork and winked at her, trying to lighten the mood.

Clara really liked this playful side of John.  She knew he was trying to help her feel better and it was working.  They continued eating and when they finished, moved over to the couch to finish the bottle of wine they started.  Clara put on some music and they started chatting about the band, as John had never heard them before.

"You know they're playing tomorrow night, if you'd like to go see them.”  Clara asked.

“I would.  I haven't been to a live show in ages.”  John smiled as he took Clara's glass out of her hand and set it and his on the table in front of them.

“What are you doing?”  Clara asked, curious as to why he did that.

“This.”  He responded as he placed a hand on the side of her face and moved into kiss her.

Clara felt like the earth was moving under her.  She had never been so turned on by someone.  It wasn't long before she flicked her tongue out and John eagerly accepted.  Clara placed one of her hands on his chest and the other went around his neck as the kiss deepened.

John couldn't believe how lucky he was that this beautiful woman wanted him just as much as he wanted her.  He moved his hand from her face to the back of her head, running his fingers through her silky, soft hair.   He needed her closer, so he moved his other hand to her hip and pulled her towards him.  They continued kissing until Clara slowly pulled back in need of air.  

She smiled at him as she played with the curls at the back of his neck.   “And here I thought you were joking about snogging on the couch.”

“Oh I never joke about snogging Miss Oswald.”  He winked and leaned in to place a soft kiss in the crook of Clara's neck, while his hand that was on her hip slowly moved down to her thigh.  Clara couldn't help the moan that escaped and John knew he needed to remember this spot. Her smell was intoxicating and he couldn't get enough of it.  It was the right mix of sweet and floral.  He moved his hand further until he reached the bottom of her skirt and his fingers finally met flesh.   He needed to feel more of her, but before he could slip his hand under her skirt, Clara's hand was on top of his.  She entwined her fingers with his pulling his hand away.  He kissed a trail from her neck up to her lips, where he gently gave her a few soft pecks to help calm them down.  

“God, you make me feel things I haven't felt in ages.”  He said as he ran his hand down her arm.

Clara smiled at him and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. He pulled her into an embrace and the two cuddled on the couch trying to get their racing hearts under control.  They stayed this way for a bit casually chatting until John noticed Clara was starting to fall asleep.  He remembered how she reacted the last time this happened, so he woke her up saying that he needed to head home.  She walked him to her door and they kissed good night before John headed home for another cold shower.

\---------

The next night John and Clara went to the Village Underground to see The Kills.  Clara went online after John had left to make sure she could still get tickets and was luckily able to get two.  They arrived while the opening band was on, so they grabbed some drinks and then found a spot to stand off to the side.  The opening band was good, but Clara was really looking forward to the headliner and the possibility of dancing with John.

The band finished and John went to get them more drinks.  When he returned he saw a young guy trying to talk to Clara.  He was leaning in to her and Clara was doing her best to clearly be polite and move away.  A fit of jealousy ran through him.  He walked over and handed her a beer and made sure to place his free arm around her waist, while he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Who's your friend, love?"  He asked.

"Oh, sorry mate.  I thought she was here alone."  The guy said as he turned and walked away.

Clara looked at John.  "You know he's too young for me, right?"

"Is he?"  John questioned.

"I'm pretty sure you know that there's a certain silver fox that gets my juices flowing."  And as soon as she said it she clapped her hand over her mouth, not intending the innuendo.

John quirked an eyebrow up and leaned forward to whisper in her ear.  "I'd be more than happy to check your fluids after the show."

Clara wanted to jump him right there, but just at that moment the band came out and started playing.  She turned around to face the stage, while John was behind her with one hand on her hip.  The music was a combination of indie rock blues with some upbeat songs and some slower ones.  Clara loved this band and couldn't help but move to the beat of the music.  After a few songs she turned her head to see if John was enjoying himself and noticed that he was bobbing his head to the music.  

Clara started to say something to him but he couldn't hear her so he bent his head so his ear was near her lips.   

“You like them?”  She asked.

John turned his head to speak into her ear.  “I do, but I am enjoying your dancing more.”  He placed a soft kiss next to her ear.

Clara turned back around and started swaying her curvaceous hips provocatively and John couldn't help but lick his lips.  She was wearing a pair of skin tight black jeans with biker boots and a black Ramones shirt that clung to her in all the right places.  She looked like a rock goddess and the more she moved the more turned on he was becoming. 

Clara decided to entice him even more by moving more seductively.   She couldn't see him, but it was no time at all before his hands were on her hips pulling her back until she felt his arousal.  She smiled knowing she was the one having this effect on him and continued moving her hips to the beat of the music.

John moved one of his hands from her hip up to sweep her hair to the side and bent forward to place a kiss on her neck.  She tasted like coconut and honey.  Clara tilted her head to the side to give him better access which he took kissing her harder and wrapping his right arm around her waist pulling her even tighter against his growing member. 

The next song the band played was slower, so John started moving to the same rhythm as Clara while continuing to assault her neck.  He could hear a soft moan escape her lips and he knew he needed to get her out of here soon.   He trailed his kisses up to her ear and whispered, “If we don't get out of here soon, I’m going to fuck you in this club.”

Hearing him talk that way turned Clara on even more than she already was as the heat grew between her thighs.  She turned in his arms and kissed him hard on the lips, then she leaned up to his ear and replied, “I’d rather you fuck me on your bed.”

That was all John could take, he grabbed her hand and the two practically ran out of the club.  John hailed a cab and gave the driver his address.  The two made sure to not touch each other in the car because they knew that if they did the driver would be in for a hell of a show.  It wasn't so bad during the concert because it was dark and they were off to the side, so nobody really saw what was happening because they were also focused on the band.  

Right now, John was thanking his lucky stars that it was night and there was hardly any traffic.  Clara had really worked him up at the club and he needed to get her behind closed doors now.  At last, the driver pulled up in front of his house.   Clara got out while John grabbed some money out of his wallet, handing the driver way more money then was necessary but he didn't care.  He got out and saw that Clara was already waiting for him at the top of the stairs, so he took them two at a time to get to her and pulled her in for a fierce kiss plunging his tongue into her mouth.  They continued until he pulled away trying to find his keys.  Clara nibbled at his neck as he was fumbling to open the lock. Finally, the key turned and the two stumbled through the front door.  As John shut it behind him, Clara pushed him up against it which took him by surprise.  Who would have thought such a small girl could be so strong?  She smiled at him with such a wicked grin that his jeans started getting tight again.  She kissed him again this time their tongues fighting for dominance.  John wrapped his arms around her and grabbed her firm butt, pulling her into him so she could feel how much he wanted her.  Clara moaned at the sensation.  

John slowly pushed them away from the door and they kicked off their boots as the moved towards the living room.  Clara quickly stripped John of his blazer as they stumbled onto the couch.  She was now straddling him while John was running his hands up under her shirt to massage her breasts.  They continued kissing until John pulled back, leaving Clara confused, but John flashed her a grin that said he wasn't done.  He moved his hands to the bottom of her t-shirt and lifted it up and over her head exposing her ample sized breasts covered in a black lace bra.  His breath hitched at the sight and he immediately bent forward to take a breast into his mouth.  As he licked and sucked, Clara arched her back and placed her hand at the back of his head grabbing his silver curls.  She kept whimpering his name and John thought it was the best sound in the world. 

He moved his hands to her back and started to unclasp her bra when suddenly a phone rang.  They were pulled out of the moment when Clara realised it was coming from her pocket. 

“I'm so sorry.”  She said as she jumped off John to pull her phone out.   “No one ever calls this late.”

“No, no of course.”  John replied disappointed but praying it was a wrong number.

She saw that it was Amy and answered it.

“Amy what's up?”

“Clara, Rory's been in an accident.”  Amy said through tears.

“Oh my god.  Is he okay?”  Clara asked.  

John got up from the couch to find where he threw her shirt knowing that this night wasn't likely going to go any further.  He heard Clara end her call just as he found it.

“I'm so sorry John, but I've got to go.  Amy's husband was in an accident on his way to work tonight and I need to be with her at the hospital.”

“Don't apologise.  She's your best friend and she needs you.”  He said as he handed her, her shirt.  “I can go with you if you'd like.”

Clara pulled her shirt over her head and then smiled at him.  “That's sweet, but I don't know how long I'm going to be.  I'll call you tomorrow, ok?”

He walked her to the door and Clara leaned up to kiss him.   As they pulled apart she said, “I'm definitely going to take a rain check on what was happening on that couch mister.”

“You better believe it.   I've just had a sample of Clara Oswald and I can't wait to have the whole thing.”  He gave her another searing kiss and sent her out the door.   Tonight he was going to need to do more than have a cold shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that can tie everyone over for a bit. I swear we will get to the good stuff very soon. Thanks so much for reading and sticking with me on this journey. You guys are the best!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay folks, here's a bit of fun. Hope this ties you over for a bit. I had an emergency yesterday, so not sure when I'll get to the next chapter, but please stick with it. Thanks for the kudos and feedback, you guys are great!

Clara was sitting in the waiting room with Amy, while they waited for news of Rory.  He was rushed to the A and E after the accident and was currently in surgery.  His injuries weren't life threatening but Amy was still worried nonetheless.  She was currently pacing in front of Clara, who was doing her best to reassure her that everything would be fine. 

“Amy, come and sit down.  Pacing isn't going to make the surgery end faster.” 

“I know.  It's just making me feel better.”  She replied.   

“Alright pace away then.” 

Amy looked at Clara and for the first time since she arrived noticed her appearance. 

“Were you at a concert tonight?  You're wearing your rocker outfit.” 

“I was.”  Clara responded. 

Amy finally sat down next to her.  “Alone?” 

“No.”  She was being vague on purpose because she could tell that it was taking Amy's mind off of Rory for a moment. 

“With John?”   

“Yes.” 

“You left the show to come be with me?” 

“Not exactly.”  Clara responded. 

“Okay enough.  Spill.”  Amy said getting frustrated. 

“We left the show early and I was at his place.” 

“You weren't…. you know, were you?” 

Clara smiled, “Well we were getting there.”   

“Oh my god!  I'm so sorry Clara.” 

“Shut up.  You will not apologise for this. Being here for you and Rory is far more important.” 

Amy hugged her and Clara told her about her night.  Finally, the doctor came out and took Amy to recovery to see Rory.  It was 3 in the morning and Clara really wanted to Call John, but knew he was likely asleep.  She pulled out her phone and saw that there was a text from him sent half an hour ago. 

 **John:** **Hope everything is okay.  Call me when you can.  Don't worry about the time.**  

She got up to step outside and called him. 

“Hey.”  John said as he answered. 

“Hi.” 

“How's Amy and her husband?”  He asked. 

“Rory just got out of surgery.  He's  going to be okay, but it was a close call.  Amy just went to be with him.  Why are you still up?” 

“I was worried about you.  Wanted to make sure everything was okay.”  He replied.   

“Ah that's sweet.  Thanks.  So any chance you want to come over to mine tomorrow night and pick up where we left off.” 

“Oh I would love nothing but, but I can't.  I've got an early flight the next day to New York and if I come over I don't plan on getting much sleep.  I was going to tell you tonight, but I got kind of distracted.  Sorry.”   

“That's okay.   Can't say I'm not disappointed, but I understand.   When will you be back?”  She asked.   

“In about a week and a half.  I have some press to do and I'm going to do a convention while I'm there, but as soon as I'm back we are finishing what we started.” 

“I'm going to hold you to that Mr. Smith.”  Clara responded. 

They ended their call with John promising to call her before he leaves.  Clara went back into the hospital to find Amy and make sure all was well before she headed home. 

\------- 

A week had passed since Rory's accident and he was doing much better.  He had a broken leg and was still recovering from his surgery, but he was finally well enough to leave the hospital.  Clara had been by Amy's side every day, if for anything to make sure she slept, ate and didn't drive Rory nuts.  It also helped to distract her from missing John.  She had been staying with Amy and the two had finally been able to catch up on Time Avengers.  It was strange watching it now knowing what she knows about John.   

Clara was finally back at her flat now that Rory was home and was just having a shower before going to bed.  She was enjoying the feel of the hot water as it ran down her naked flesh.  She felt like she had been buzzing since she left John's that night to be with Amy.  They had barely gotten things started and Clara had been so turned on, she could only imagine what it would be like when they go further.  She turned the shower off, as her skin was starting to prune, and stepped out of it.  She towel dried her body before she slipped on her black silk, then dried her hair with the towel.  Once she finished her night time routine she walked out of the bathroom and went in search of pajamas.  Just as she was about to take off her robe, her phone rang.   

“Hi.”  She said, smiling into the phone knowing it was John. 

“Hey.  How are things?”  He said. 

“Good.  Rory got home today, so I'm finally back at my place.”  She said as she sat down on the bed, leaning back on the headboard. 

“That's great!”  John said, genuinely happy.  “Do you want to FaceTime then?” 

“God yes.” 

“Okay.  See you in a bit.”  He said as he hung up.  Seconds later Clara’s phone rang again, but this time for video. 

“Hi.”  She said beaming at him.  It looked like he was in a hotel.  “Where are you?” 

“Seattle.  Just got in.  Doing some interviews tomorrow and then a convention on the weekend.”  He looked at his watch.  “Sorry I didn't realise the time.” 

“That's okay.  I just got out of the shower and was getting ready for bed.” 

John's member twitched at the thought of Clara in the shower. 

“So you're naked is what you're telling me.”  He said with a sly grin. 

Clara held her phone back more so John could see what she was wearing. 

“Not naked.  Sorry to disappoint you.” 

“But what's under that robe sweetheart?”  He said as his Scottish brogue got thicker and his voice a little deeper. 

Clara felt a rush of heat to her core.  Let's see how far this will go she thought before she responded. 

“Wouldn't you like to know.” 

“I would actually.  Care to give me a peek?” 

Damn him for putting the ball back in her court.  She was never one to back down from a challenge, so she moved her right hand to the opening of her robe and spread it a little wider to reveal her cleavage down to her naval where a knot was tied to keep it closed.  The way the silk was laying on her body accentuated the curve of her breasts and her hard nipples.  John felt himself getting hard and knew that if they continued he would need to relieve his growing arousal. 

“Want to undo that tie and show me more?”  John said, licking his lips. 

“Only if I'm not the only one showing.” 

John tilted the camera down to show Clara the bulge in his pants and his right hand rubbing up and down it. 

“You show me more and that's going to need to come out of my jeans.”  he replied pointing the camera back up at his face.   

Clara really wanted to see more, needed to see more.  Truth was she had been turned on since her shower and needed to do something about it.  She gave John a sultry look and held her left hand out as far as she could so he had a nice view from her torso up.  She reached for the tie and gave it a tug and the sides easily fell away to expose her breasts. 

John released a breath he didn't know he had been holding.  She was more beautiful then he imagined.  

“Sweet Jesus.”  He said as he rubbed himself harder.   

“Those jeans getting uncomfortable yet.“  She said as she brought her right hand up to massage her right breast. 

“Oh yeah.  Hold on and for the love of god don't stop what you're doing.”  He said as he set the phone down and suddenly all Clara could see was the ceiling.  She heard the distinct sound of a zipper and shuffling on the bed then the phone was moving again until she saw his face. 

“Oh good you didn't stop.” 

“Well you told me not to.”  She replied as she reached across and started rubbing her other breast. 

“You always do as your told Miss Oswald?”  He was so hard now and wasn't sure how long he would last with the show he was watching. 

“Not always, but sometimes.  You want to tell me to do something else?”   

They were in uncharted territory and John wasn't sure how Clara felt about dirty talk, but he had a hunch she would be into it.  No time like the present to test out the water. 

“I want you to slide that hand down and start stroking your wet pussy.”  He practically growled.  That's when he saw it, her pupils dilated to the point that her brown eyes became black and the left side of her mouth quirked into a smile.  She liked it. 

“Not until you show me your hard cock.”   

“What this.”  He said as he finally pointed the camera down and Clara could see his hand sliding up and down his long hard shaft.  She licked her lips at the sight, longing for the day she could finally have him fill her up.  And fill he would do.  She had suspected that he was big just from their brief snogging sessions, but not like this. 

He kept the camera in the same position and continued to slowly stroke himself, as he spoke to her. 

“That's what you've been doing to me for weeks.  I can't tell you the number of times I've had a good wank thinking about your hot mouth on me.”  He moved the camera up and she could see the lust in his eyes.  “Pussy.  Now.” 

She'd never heard him be so demanding.  It made it her so wet.  She gave her nipple a tweak before she let her hand slide down her flat stomach, moving the camera with her until she reached the top of her mound.  

“Yeah, that's it.  Touch yourself for me sweetheart.”  She slid her hand further down until she finally touched her sensitive nub.  She slowly circled it with her index finger and then moved it down to dip in between her wet folds.  She moaned in pleasure as it felt so good to finally touch herself.  It was even better having John tell her what to do. 

“I’ve been dying to feast on you.  Imagine your finger is my tongue swirling around your clit, lapping up your juices like a man who hasn't had a drink for days.” 

“Oh god John!  I need to see your cock again.”  Clara said as she turned the camera up to her face. 

“Oh that's the look of a lass who needs a cock in her mouth.”  Clara didn't know why he became more Scottish when he was aroused, but my god it was a turn on. 

“I want to suck it so bad John.”  She whimpered. 

“Suck your juices off your fingers.  Show me what you're going to do to my hard shaft the next time you see me.”  He turned the camera down and Clara saw his hand pumping faster.   He positioned the phone so that Clara could see him wanking, but he could also see her face.  He watched as she slowly licked her finger tips and then swirled her tongue around them before she slowly took them in her mouth. 

John couldn't take it any longer.   He moved the camera again to his face.    

“Clara I need to cum and I need to see your pleasuring yourself while I do.” 

Clara turned her camera down and John watched as Clara started pleasuring herself again.  He couldn't wait to get home so he could finally properly be with her.   They had been dancing around this moment for far too long and he was desperate to explore and ravish her body.    Clara’s hand started rubbing faster and she started getting louder, which excited him even more.  They were going to have such great sex together.   Finally, after a couple of more pumps he came. 

“Ahhh Clara!”  He yelled as he ejaculated into his hand.  

That was enough to send Clara over the edge too. 

“Johnnn!”  She screamed.   

“Hold on a second love.”  John said as he set the phone down and got up to grab a tissue and zip himself back into his jeans.  

He picked up the phone and saw the most beautiful sight.   Clara was holding the phone at an angle where he could see her breasts heaving up and down while she was lying on her bed trying to get her breathing under control.   Her face was flushed, but sated.   

“God you're beautiful.”  

“Thanks.”  She said through hooded eyes.   She was ready to fall asleep now.   “I think you're pretty beautiful too. 

“This old man has nothing on you.” 

“Don't sell yourself short.”  She replied as she opened her eyes and looked at him.  “You're really fucking hot.” 

He chuckled.  “If you say so sweetheart.  Thanks for that by the way.   I really needed that.”  

“No thank you.   I've been so turned on since your house last week that I was ready to pop.   I'm still buzzing a bit, but I'm hoping you can help with that when you get home.”  She smiled at the camera.  

“Oh I will.  I plan on fucking you in every room of my house and your flat.”   

“Well we're going to be busy.   I better get my rest now.”  She grinned.  

“Yeah.   Sleep well sweetheart  and I'll see you in 4 days.” 

“Night.”  She said as they disconnected their call. 

Clara was grinning from ear to ear.  She could only imagine how she would feel after they actually had sex.  She got up and put her pajamas on and got into bed.  It wasn’t long before she found herself drifting off. 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for a plot twist! Stick with me through this chapter and you will receive your reward after 18 chapters of slow burn. Thanks for the kudos and encouragement!

John had just arrived home from the airport and was feeling very exhausted.  It had been a long week of interviews from one side of America to the other, topped off with 2 days at a convention.  All he wanted to do now was get into bed and stay there for a week.  He just made it up to his bedroom, when his phone rang.  He looked at the caller id before he answered it.  

“Donna, why do you have the ability to call the moment I walk in my door?”

“Not sure.  How was America?”  She asked.

“Good.  Very busy, but good.”

“And the convention?  I know Missy was going to be there.”  She asked again.

“Surprisingly fine.  We spoke, briefly.  I don't know what you said to her agent, but I think it worked.  Thank you.”

“Good.  I'm glad.”  

“So other than wanting to find out about my trip, was there another reason you called?”  John asked.

“Yeah, the producers want to meet with us tomorrow at the BBC offices.”

“Why?”  John was suddenly feeling a little worried because it was too soon for his contract negotiation and normally they would just deal with Donna.

“Not sure, but we need to meet them at 10, so you should probably get some rest.”

“Okay.  I'll see you tomorrow.”

John hung up the phone and decided to give Clara a quick call to let her know he was home.  He really wanted to see her tonight, but now he wouldn't be able to.

“Hi.”  She said happily.

“Hey.  How are you?”  He asked.

“Better now that I know you're back.”  She answered.  “Are we still on for dinner?”

“I'm going to have to take a raincheck.  I've got a meeting at the BBC tomorrow morning and I have no idea why.  I need to get my sleep back on track so that I go into it well rested.  Can I take you for dinner tomorrow night?”  John asked.

“Yeah, absolutely.”  Clara said sounding a little disappointed.

“I'm really sorry.  I was really looking forward to seeing you, but I'm just afraid I wouldn't be very good company right now.”  John said trying to reassure her. 

“It's okay.  You get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow.” 

“I can't wait.”  He said.

John hung up and felt bad because he could tell Clara was disappointed.  He would make it up to her tomorrow, but now he needed to get some rest.

\-------

Donna was waiting for John near the entrance to the studio when he arrived.  They greeted each other and made their way into the building where they were met by a young man who was clearly an intern or PA for one of the producers.  He took them up to the 10th floor and had them sit outside one of the offices.  Donna did her best to try and distract John while they waited because she could tell he was nervous from the way he kept running his hand through his hair.  Finally after about ten minutes one of the producers came out to greet them.

“John.  So good to see you.”  The man in his mid 40s with dark floppy hair and black glasses said as he shook John’s hand.

“You too David.  You remember my agent Donna?”  John said gesturing towards his friend.

“Of course.  Can never forget a lady like her.”  David replied as he shook her hand.  “Please come in.”

Donna and John moved into the office and saw that Michael Pierce, the show runner was here as well.  He stood when the two entered and greeted them as well.  Once all the pleasantries were out of the way John and Donna took a seat on a couch across from the other two sitting in matching chairs.

“Well I'm sure you're wondering why you're here.”  David started, clearly nervous to say whatever it was he had to say.  “Perhaps I'll let Michael explain.”

“Okay, well you know I've been working on the next season and where to go with it and what would be the over lying story arc and I've come up with this idea of a character, called the Oracle, that your character keeps encountering throughout the season and we don't know if she's a friend or an enemy until the end.”  Michael paused before he continued.  “The thing is that we are really interested in a particular actor for the role and she's agreed to come in and read for it, but we need you to read with her.”

John felt the bottom drop out of his stomach.  He finally knew what this was about and why everyone was acting so skittish.

“No, no, no Michael.  Please don't say it's River.”  John pleaded.

“I'm sorry, John.  I really am, but the executives above us are really pushing for this.”  Michael responded.  “I don't know what to tell you.”

“What if he refuses?”  Donna chimed in.

“Unfortunately, contractually he can't.”  David responded.

“Why?”  John asked.  “She moved to America and was doing really well.  Why is she back here?”

“It's because she's doing well in Hollywood that the executives want her.  They're hoping she’ll draw in a bigger audience.”  David answered.  

John sighed and ran his hand through his hair.  He hadn't seen River since their very public divorce and she ran off to make it big in L.A. with her new young boyfriend.  Now he was going to have to see her and have old wounds open up again.

“Listen John.  It's just a reading.  It's not to say she's going to get the part.”  Michael tried to assure him.

“That being said,” David added giving Michael a look, “we expect you to give your typical performance for this reading.”

John looked between his two bosses and then at Donna.  She could see the look of defeat.

“When is the reading?”  She asked.

“Tomorrow.”  Michael replied as he handed John a script.  “That's the scene.  Be here at 10.”

“Fine.”  He got up and walked to the door, while Donna followed.  Just as they were about to leave, David spoke.

“Oh and I don't think I need to remind you two that this is top secret, so no talking.”

The two left without saying goodbye.

Once they were outside Donna said she was going to head home to look at his contract again to see if there was anything that could be done.  John decided to walk for a bit, trying to clear his head.  The day he caught River cheating on him was the worse day of his life and every time he saw her he was reminded of that.  He had just reached the bank of the Thames when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

**Clara:  Hey.  Hope your meeting went well.** **Can't wait to see you tonight.**

Tonight.   He forgot about his date.  For the first time since he met her, she wasn't in the forethought of his mind.  He really needed to see her. 

**John:** **What are you doing right now?**

He knew she was on vacation and was hoping she would be able to see him. 

**Clara:  Nothing.  Why?**

**John:  Mind if I come over?**

**Clara:  Not at all.**

**John:  Great.   See you soon.**

John walked back to the street and hailed a cab.  Twenty minutes later he was standing in front of Clara’s door waiting for her to answer.   As soon as she opened the door and flashed him a smile that he knew was only for him, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a kiss.  He continued kissing her while he moved her back into her flat and kicked the door shut with his foot.  They pulled apart and John pressed his forehead against Clara's and looked into her eyes.

“I missed you Clara Oswald.”  

“I missed you too.”  She smiled at him.  She grabbed his hand and led him into her living room, which is when she noticed the envelope in his hand.  

“What's that?”  She asked.

John looked at his hand and threw it on her coffee table.

“Oh, well that was the reason for my meeting.  I need to read a scene tomorrow.”  He answered as he sat down on her couch.  

“You mean that's part of a script from next season?”  She asked as she walked into the kitchen to put the kettle on.

“Not exactly.  It's just something that was written for the reading.  It may or may not end up in the show.”

Clara entered the room and sat down next to him.

“So I'm guessing you can't tell me much.”

John sighed and slid down a bit on the couch to lay his head on her shoulder.

“Nope.  I really wish I could.”  He said as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Can you at least tell me what's bothering you?”  She asked laying her head on top of his.

John sighed again trying to think of a way to tell her without telling her, but decided it was best not to.

“I just don't want to read that scene tomorrow.  I'm going to have to learn those lines, which means I have to postpone our date again.”  He said as he sat up and looked at her. 

“That's okay.”  She said trying to hide her disappointment. 

John took her hand in his.   “Okay I'm going to make it up to you.   Tomorrow night you come over to my place and I'm going to make you the most romantic dinner you've ever had.   We'll turn our phones off and lock all the doors, so there's no interruptions.”  He moved his hands to her face.  “I really enjoyed the other night, and I'm really looking forward to the real thing.”

“Me too.  Which is why I'm disappointed about tonight, but I understand.”  She said as she gazed into his blue green eyes.  John leaned in and gave her a soft gentle kiss. 

“Well one more night won't kill us.  And then we can have the whole night to ourselves.  In fact, I'm going to be so bold as to say bring an overnight bag.”  He winked at her. 

Clara chuckled.   “Sounds good.  Now how long do I have you for?”

“Long enough to have tea and tell me how Amy and Rory are doing.”

John spent the next couple of hours with Clara drinking tea and catching up on each other’s lives.  He was still not happy about tomorrow, but being with Clara now reminded him how happy she makes him and that maybe, just maybe it will be okay when he sees River tomorrow.

\---------

John had left Clara's and went back to his place to learn his lines.  It was difficult, but he was a professional and professional is what he would be.  Donna had called later in the night and to tell him that the producers were right about his contract and there was nothing she could do to get him out of it.  So that is why he now found himself standing outside the BBC for the second day in a row, dreading what was going to happen inside.

He made his was way to David's office, courtesy of the same intern from yesterday.  Once he got inside he was relieved to see River wasn't there yet, instead Michael was there setting up a camera to prepare for the reading.  He greeted John when he came in and asked how it went with the lines.  Just as John was about to answer he heard the door open and turned around to see who it was only to have a wave of emotions overcome him.

“Hello Sweetie.” 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is what you have been patiently waiting for... Enjoy!

John was transported to the past and the day he came home early from a shoot to surprise River only for himself to be surprised.  It had taken years for him to get passed the image of her riding some bloke on their couch.  A couch that he immediately got rid of since he could never sit on it again.  Now here it all came flooding back.

“River.”  

“Doctor!  How are you sweetie?”  She asked, as if they were old friends.

“Good until this moment.”  He replied.

“Oh don't be like that.  It's all water under the bridge now.”  She said moving towards him.

Michael moved in to stop River from getting closer to John.  

“Okay great.  Now that you two are reacquainted let's get started.  John are you ready?”

“Give me a second.”  He stepped over to the window to gather his thoughts and get his emotions in check.  He closed his eyes and thought of Clara and her smile that was always so infectious he couldn't help but smile himself.  He opened his eyes and turned back around.

“Ready.”  He said.

John immediately got into character and they went through the scene a few times.  A half hour later, they were finally finished.  Michael told River they would be in touch with her agent in a few weeks and then left to take the video to the executives, leaving John alone with River.

“So how have you been John?”  River asked.

“Fine.”  John replied not looking at her.

“Listen if we're going to work with each other we're going to have to be friends.”  She said.

“No we don't.  I think I just proved that I can do my job and still not like you.”  

“John, we used to be in love.  Madly in love.  I think we can find it in ourselves after all this time to be friends.”

“I was madly in love, River.  You clearly were not.”  He said raising his voice.  He took a breath.  This was not the place to get into an argument.  “I'm not going down this road again.”  He said as he moved towards the door.  

“Why don't we have dinner?”  She asked.  “Try and finally put this all behind us.”

“No.”  He said and walked out the door.

\--------

Clara was standing in front of John's door waiting for him to open it.  She was excited about her date tonight and had spent quite some time getting ready.  She had chosen to wear a dress that she once bought while shopping with Amy, who had convinced her to buy it even though she had insisted that she would probably never wear it.  Finally, she was able to find a use for her little black dress with the plunging neckline.

John opened the door and his jaw dropped at the sight.  Clara was breathtakingly gorgeous and he couldn't believe that this woman was interested in him.  She flashed him a smile and suddenly his shitty morning was forgotten.  He returned her smile and leaned forward to give her a short kiss before taking her bag and inviting her in.

Clara stepped in and looked around the living room, while John took her bag upstairs.  Tea light candles were placed around the room and there was soft music on in the background.  He had also placed two wine glasses on the coffee table along with a bottle of wine and red roses.  She looked over into the dining room and noticed that he had set the table with more candles giving an inviting glow to the room.  When he said romantic he sure had meant it.  She suddenly felt John's arms wrap around her and a kiss below her ear lobe.

“John, this is so beautiful.”  She said as she turned in his arms.

“I told you I'd make it up to you.”  He said as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear.  “I really care for you Clara and tonight I want to show you that.  It may only be a short time that we've been together, but during that time you've become very important to me.”  He leaned down and captured her lips in a sweet slow kiss.  Clara tried to deepen it, but John pulled away and smiled at her.

“Now none of that.  If we start that we won't get to dinner and I have been preparing this all afternoon.”  He said as he led her over to the couch and poured them each a glass of wine.  “Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes.”

“It smells great.  What are we having?”  She asked as she took the glass from him. 

“Butternut squash ravioli with seared chicken.”  John replied.

“And you made it all from scratch!?”  Clara said surprised.

John laughed.  “Yes.  I was blessed with a mother who loved to cook and felt it was important to teach me how.”

“Well I can't wait to try it.”  She replied as she took a sip of wine.  “And what's for dessert?”

“Strawberries dipped in chocolate.”  

“Oh two of my favourite things.  I'm kind of glad I didn't eat lunch today.”

“Good because I have a tendency to make too much when I cook.” He said.

“So how was the reading today?”  Clara asked. 

“Fine.  But let's not talk about it.”  John said not wanting to think about the morning.   

“Sorry I forgot that you can't really tell me anything.”  

“That's okay.  It was boring anyway.  Why don't you tell me about your day instead.”  He said changing the subject. 

Clara talked about what she had been doing while on vacation and John listened intently.  Before long, dinner was ready so he escorted her into the dining room and pulled out her chair for her to sit.  He refilled their wine glasses and went to get their meal.  Throughout dinner they shared stories about university and places they had traveled.  John had gone to far more cities and countries than Clara had, but she hoped one day that would change.  They finished eating and decided to hold off on dessert, so they made their way over to the couch to continue their conversation.

“So what's the one place you want to visit most Miss Oswald?”  John asked wrapping an arm around her to bring her into his side.

“All of them.  Every place I want to visit, I want to see the most.  There isn't anywhere in this world that I wouldn't want to go.”  She replied as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“I would love to take you to those places one day.  I think you and I could have grand adventures.”  He said as he smiled down at her.

“I think so too.”  She replied.  They stayed this way for a moment until a new song came on and Clara recognized it as Halo, but it wasn't Beyoncé singing.

"Who is this?"  She asked curious by the different version.

"Jono McCleery.  You like it?"  He asked.

"I do.  It's very pretty."  

John stood up and extended his hand to Clara.  "May I have this dance?"

Clara smiled and took his hand.  John led her to behind his couch where there was more room and wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her into him.  They started moving to the rhythm of the music while gazing into each other's eyes.  Clara had no idea how it was that she came to be here, dancing with John in his living room, starting to fall in love with him.

John never thought he would have these feelings again, but here he was falling for the most wonderful inquisitive woman he had ever met.  He leaned forward and slowly kissed her while they continued to dance.  This time when Clara flicked her tongue out at his lips he opened and allowed her to deepen the kiss.  John let go of her hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist, then slowly slid his hands down to softly squeeze her buttocks.  Clara smiled against his lips and then pulled away.

“You know I don't think you've ever given me a full tour of your house.”  She said.

“Oh how rude of me.” He said as they stopped dancing and John took her by the hand to lead her to the stairs.  “Well you know down here, so let me show you the rest.”  

They reached the top of the stairs and John stopped at a door on the left and opened it.  “This is the guest bedroom.”  He said as he pressed his lips to Clara's neck and softly kissed her.

“Hmm.”  She sighed.  “Nice, but I want to see more.”  

“Okay.”  He took her hand again and led her to another door and opened it.  

“This is my office.”  He was now standing behind her as he leaned down and placed a kiss on the other side of her neck.

“Ahhhh,” she moaned, “Is that a guitar?”  She asked as she noticed it standing in the corner next to an amp.

“Yep.”  John replied continuing to kiss her neck.  “and maybe later I'll play for you.” 

“I'd like that, but now I want to see what's behind that door over there.”  She had two doors to choose from and she hoped she had picked the right one.

“Good choice.  That's the best room in the house.”  He said as he led her over to the door.  He turned her so she was standing in front of it while he reached around her to open it and Clara couldn't believe her eyes.  His bedroom was lit with nothing but candles and smelt of jasmine.  There was a king size bed in the middle of the far wall covered with different sized throw pillows in different shades of grey and purple.  The same music that was playing downstairs was coming out of a speaker in the corner.  She took a step inside and John followed her with his hands on her hips.

“Is romance your middle name?”  She asked as she turned around and smiled at him.

“We've been dancing around this night for a while and I really wanted it to be special.”  He caressed the side of her face.  

She leaned into his hand and sighed.  He brought his other hand up to run down her arm.  Clara had never wanted a man more than she wanted him right now in this moment.  She stepped towards him and started peppering his neck with kisses as she started unbuttoning his shirt.  She reached the top of his trousers and pulled his shirt out to finish the job.  Once his shirt was open she moved her kisses to his chest and pushed his shirt off his shoulders and down his arms.  

With his shirt now lying on the floor, he moved his hands to the back of Clara’s dress and slid the zipper down.  He knew from the deep cut in the front that she wasn't wearing a bra, and he couldn't wait to finally see her breasts in person.  

They were standing at the foot of the bed and as Clara took a step back she gave John a little push for him to sit.  He smirked at her and quirked an eyebrow as she moved her hands to the straps on her shoulders and slowly pulled them down until her dress dropped at her feet.  John let out a breath and a moan.  She was so stunning standing there in only a pair of black lace panties and an expression that said she was about to devour him.  His heart was beating so fast and he suddenly found himself incredibly hard.  Clara stepped in between his legs and bent her head down to plunge her tongue into his mouth.  He grabbed her hips and pulled her closer then slid has right hand up to massage her right breast.  It felt so good in his hand and the more he kneaded, the more Clara moaned into his mouth.  She grabbed the curls at the back of his head and John pulled away to move his lips down her neck leaving a trail of kisses from her shoulder down to her left breast where he took her nipple into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it.

Clara thought if she died in this moment she would die happy.  John knew all the right spots to touch her and was very focused on making her feel good, but she needed to be closer to him.  She reached down and started to undo his belt buckle and in the process rubbed against his erection.  He moaned and stopped what he was doing to stand up and give her better access.  He attacked her lips again while his hands ran down her backside rubbing the lace against her skin.  Clara finally succeeded at getting his belt undone and opened his trousers to shove them to the ground.  John stepped out of them and kicked them aside.  He lifted Clara up and turned them around before laying her on the bed.  She moved back so she was leaning against the head board and smiled at him.  She could see his arousal through his black boxer briefs and licked her lips at the memory of watching him stroke it.  John bent down to quickly get rid of his socks and when he stood up he hooked his fingers in his briefs and pulled them down while he looked intensely at her wanting to see her reaction.  His cock sprang free and Clara’s eyes went wide causing John to smile.

Clara looked at him and crooked her finger at him beckoning him to join her on the bed.  He didn't hesitate and she suddenly found herself being kissed ravenously by him.  She could feel his cock rubbing against her inner thigh and immediately felt herself getting more aroused.  John trailed a hand down her side and continued until he reached the top of her panties where his hand stopped for a moment and then continued further down to caress her mound, causing her to moan and thrust her hips up.  He continued this motion, working Clara into a dizzy.  She couldn't take it anymore and needed him to touch her without the lace barrier.

"John, please."  She begged.

"Please what?"  He said as he moved a finger to the side of her panties.

"I need you to touch me."  She begged again.

He slipped his finger inside and immediately felt how wet she was.  "Like this?"  He said.

Clara moaned at the sensation of feeling someone else's hand on her other than her own.  John continued to run his finger through her folds as he started moving down her body, placing soft kisses as he went, each one causing her skin to tingle with desire.  He lingered on her breasts for a bit making sure each one received equal attention from his mouth.

Clara thought she was going to explode if she didn't feel him inside her soon.  He continued to kiss her down to her navel and stopped when he reached the top of her panties.

"As wonderful as these are, I think they need to go."  He said as he gave a tug.  Clara helped him by raising her hips up off the bed and he slowly pulled them down her legs and then tossed them over his shoulder.  He looked at the sight before him and licked his lip.  She looked like a deity and he loved the sight of her chest rising up and down as she was breathing heavily.  He leaned forward and kissed her inner thigh causing her to gasp at the sensation.  He continued to kiss her until Clara grabbed his shoulder and he looked up.  She knew where he was going and as much as she wanted to feel his mouth on her, she wanted to feel him inside her more.

"Another time, right now I need you."  She panted.

John climbed up her and kissed her.  This time she could feel his length rubbing against her folds and she reached down to stroke him.  He hissed at the feel of her hand on him and knew that he wouldn't last long if she continued that.  He reached over to his night stand to grab a condom.

"I'm on the pill, so you don't have to if you don't want to."  She said.

That was all he needed to hear.  He took his member in his hand and placed it at her entrance.  He leaned down and kissed Clara while he slowly guided himself into her.  He moaned at the sensation of her wetness around him and gave her a moment to adjust to him before he slowly started thrusting.

Clara felt her whole body vibrating at the feel of him moving inside her.  He slowly pulled out and then slowly entered her again, while he bent his head to suck and gently nip at one of her breasts.  

"Ohhhh John!  You feel so good."  She whispered in his ear.

"Hmmmm, you too luv."  He moaned as he started to thrust faster.

"Oh yeah, just like that."  Clara sighed as she started moving with him, wrapping her legs around him to pull him deeper in.

John took the cue and rolled them over so she was now on top of him.  She adjusted her position and sat up grabbing the head board for leverage as she rode him.  John was enjoying the view far too much as her breasts were bouncing up and down.  He reached up and took them into his hands, squeezing and kneading while she moaned in pleasure.  Clara's breathing was starting to get fast and hard as she felt her orgasm building.

"That's it Clara, come for me."  John encouraged her knowing he wasn't going to last much longer himself.

Finally, she let out a scream, "Johnnnnnnn!" And then slumped down on top of him.  John wrapped his arms around her and rubbed up and down her back giving her a moment to calm down before he flipped her back over and started pumping in and out of her again.  It didn't take long for Clara to start to feel another orgasm coming and she started meeting John thrust for thrust.  That was all he needed to send him over the edge.

"Oh, fuck Clara!"  He grunted as he spilled himself inside her causing Clara to come for the second time.

"Ohhhhh god!"  She screamed.

John rolled to her side as he pulled out of her and wrapped his arms around her while he laid his head on her chest.  They laid this way for a bit trying to get their breathing under control.

"That was amazing."  Clara said panting.

"You said it."  John said through laboured breaths.

"Not to let it go to your head, Mr. Smith, but that was the best sex I've ever had.  I've never been able to have 2 orgasms like that."

John was running circles over her stomach with his index finger.  "Well give me a moment to rest and I'll see what I can do to beat that record."

They continued to rest until Clara said she was hungry.

"I'll go get the strawberries."  John said as he got up and made his way to the door.  Clara enjoyed the view as he walked out.  She got up and decided to use the bathroom while he was gone.  When she came back out John had returned with the berries and two glasses of champagne.  He was sitting in the bed with the sheet pulled up to his waist, and as Clara joined him he handed her a glass of champagne.  They toasted and John held a strawberry out for her, but as she was about to grab it John shook his head and pulled it back.  She caught on to his game and instead opened her mouth for him to feed her.  They continued this back and forth until the berries were gone and they both suddenly felt themselves aroused again.  They started kissing again and Clara knew that neither of them were likely to get much sleep tonight.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is a link to the song John and Clara dance to if you want to check it out.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkz1CX2CL6Q


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's see what these two get up to the next day...

Clara woke up the next morning and instantly moaned when she moved.  Every muscle in her body ached as if she had run a marathon.  Well close.  It was more like a marathon of sex.  John wasn't joking when he said he was going to try to beat the record of two orgasms and bless his soul, he did.  She smiled at the memory of him pleasuring her with his tongue and mouth until she had three and then him slipping inside of her to give her a fourth.  Who knew a man his age could have that kind of stamina.  She turned and saw that John was still sleeping, so she slowly got out of bed to go use the bathroom and freshen up a bit.  When she returned, John still hadn't moved so she climbed back into bed and snuggled up to him under the sheets.  The movement caused him to stir a bit as he threw his arm over her and pulled her into him.  It was no time at all before Clara fell back to sleep. 

She woke an hour later to the feel of someone kissing her neck.  John was clearly awake and trying to either get her up or aroused. 

"Good morning."  She said. 

John stopped kissing her and lifted his head up to look at her.  "I think you mean good afternoon."  He replied as he pointed at the clock next to her.  She turned to see the time. 

"Oh my god, it's noon!  I haven't slept this late since uni."  She exclaimed. 

"Well to be fair, the sun was coming up when we finally went to sleep."  He smiled at her, remembering their amazing night.  Clara returned his smile and was about to kiss him when her stomach growled. 

"Hungry?"  He asked. 

"Famished."  She said. 

"Well let's see what we can do about that."  He replied as he got out of bed and walked over to his dresser to pull out a pair of grey plaid pajamas.  He pulled the bottoms on, and Clara frowned at not seeing him naked any more.  He chuckled and tossed the shirt at her. 

"Just a temporary thing while I make breakfast.  You can get me naked again after we eat."  He winked at her.  "However, if you feel that you want to walk around with nothing on, I won't object." 

Clara got up and put his pajama shirt on, which looked more like a dress on her as it came down to just above her knees.  She rolled the sleeves up as she followed him out of the bedroom and down to the kitchen.  John started to prepare eggs and toast, while Clara got the coffee ready.  Once everything was done they sat at the island to eat. 

"So, what's on your agenda today?"  Clara asked, not wanting to assume that he had the day free for her. 

"Well I was hoping to have _you_ on my _agenda_ today, if you know what I mean."  He said as he emphasized agenda and wagged his eyebrows at her. 

She laughed.  "Are you sure you're 58 and not 18?" 

"Pretty sure.  It's more like I'm a 58-year-old man who hasn't got any in over 5 years.  And for some reason this hot 31-year-old, who thinks I'm a sex god I might add, wants to do it with me, so I don't plan on stopping anytime soon."  He teased. 

"Wait, did I say that out loud?  I thought I only thought that this morning."  She replied a little shocked at him reading her mind. 

"You may have shouted it last night at some point."  He smirked at her. 

Clara blushed as she took a drink of her coffee.  "Well I'm going to need a soak in that giant tub of yours before we do anything else.  My body hurts." 

"That sounds like a really good idea, Miss Oswald."  John replied as he leaned over and started kissing her neck.  Both were so distracted that they didn't hear the knock at the door.  Clara dropped her fork on her plate and was just about to grab John's thigh when they heard his front door open. 

"Doctor!"  Donna yelled.  "Are you here?" 

"Fuck."  John said as he moved away from Clara.  "Brace yourself for what is about to happen."  He told her. 

"In here, Donna."  He shouted to her. 

Donna came running into the kitchen expecting to see John injured, but stopped when she took in the sight before her.  John was only wearing pajama bottoms and the girl next to him was only wearing the top.  

"Well it's about time you got some action."  She said suddenly relieved.  "You must be Clara and if you’re not he has a lot of explaining to do."  Donna said as she shook Clara's hand.  Clara smiled at her. 

"Donna this is Clara Oswald.  Clara this is Donna Nobel, my agent and ex-friend."  He said as he looked at Donna.  "What the hell are you doing here?" 

"I was worried about you.  I tried calling you yesterday to see how the reading went and you didn't answer.  I kept trying, but I see now why you never picked up.  Pardon me for caring."  She said as she slapped his arm. 

"Ow!  Fine, thanks for worrying about me, but as you can see I'm pretty fucking fantastic."  He replied.  "Since you're here, would you like a cup of coffee?"   

"That would be nice, thanks."   She said as she sat in the seat John had just vacated to get her coffee. 

"So Clara, what did the old goat do to get you to agree to go out with him?"  She asked. 

"He didn't have to do much to be honest.  I mean look at him."  She replied. 

John was smiling as he slid a mug with coffee towards Donna.  "Yeah, I'm looking.  And?"  Donna answered, never understanding what women saw in John's appearance. 

"And he's hot as hell."  Clara answered. 

"And a sex god too."  John added winking at her, while he took a drink of his coffee. 

"Don't make me regret my words mister."  She said pointing a stern finger at him. 

"Yes, boss."  He replied smiling at her. 

"Oh, I like her."  Donna chimed in.   

The three drank coffee and finished breakfast while Donna quizzed Clara on her life story.  She really liked this girl and could tell that she made John happy, which was the most important thing.  She decided she should go and give the new lovers some time alone.  She left, but not before getting Clara to agree to have lunch with her one day soon, so she could share with her stories about the Doctor.  

"So that's Donna."  John said as he locked the door after she left. 

"She's nice and funny.  I can't wait for our lunch."  She said as she made her way towards the stairs starting to unbutton her shirt as she made her ascent. 

"You know I'm going to try and stop that from happening, right?"  He said as he followed her. 

"You can try, but it won't help."  She said as she turned around in front of his bedroom to reveal the open shirt and started walking backwards towards his bed.   

"Oh, you're going to be the death of me."  He practically growled as he lunged for her sending the two of them falling onto the bed.  

\----------- 

Clara rolled off of John, panting heavily.  "If I smoked, I would need a cigarette right now."   

John laughed.  He really didn't think he would ever get enough of her and they were doomed to spend the rest of their lives in his bedroom.  Not that he would mind that one bit, but despite his new found rejuvenation he was starting to feel rather sore. 

"I thought you needed a good soak before we went at it again?"  He questioned. 

"I did, but then you jumped me, so here we are."  She flashed him a smile.   

"You left me no choice standing there half naked in my shirt."  He leaned over and kissed her shoulder before he rolled off the bed. 

"Where are you going?"  She asked. 

"To run a bath.  Be right back."  He said as he disappeared into the bathroom. 

Clara turned over and stretched out tucking her arm under her head as a pillow and laid half on her stomach and side.  John returned and saw her laying there and was awe struck by her beauty.  The sunlight was hitting her in a way that made her post sex sweat glisten and look like she was glowing.  As well the curve of her hip was perfect and the expression on her face was pure delight.  He needed to remember this moment. 

"Clara don't move."  He said as he approached the bed.  "I need to ask you something and please if you aren't comfortable with it, say no." 

"What?"  She said, opening her eyes, but not moving. 

"The way you are right now is the most striking image I've ever seen and I want to paint it, but I can't right now because I don't have the right material.  Can I take a picture of you?  I promise no one will ever see it and with the way you're positioned, nothing is exposed." 

She thought for a moment because she had never done anything like that before.  She knew she should say no, but there was just something about John that made her trust him and feel safe. 

"Okay."  She finally answered.  "As long as you promise that it's for your eyes only." 

"Absolutely!  I'm not sharing you with anyone."  He said as he ran out of the room to grab his camera.  He came back in and immediately started snapping pics of her from different angles, trying to capture the moment as best as he could.  Once he was satisfied that he had enough, he set his camera down on the table next to the bed. 

"You really are a breathtaking woman, Clara."  He said as he extended a hand to help her off the bed and led her to the waiting bath.  Clara could hardly believe that, as he was surrounded by beautiful women all the time.  Not to mention his ex-wife was an incredibly sexy woman, that even Clara could appreciate. 

John turned the water off and stepped into the tub and sat down leaning against the back of it.  Clara followed him and sat between his legs and leaned against his chest.  The warm water felt so good and they both instantly relaxed.  John lowered his head down and started nibbling on her neck. 

"You really like my neck, don't you?"  She said tilting her head to the side to give him better access. 

"I think you like that I like your neck."  He replied between kisses. 

"True."  She said as she moaned.  She was really starting to think she was dreaming.  How could it be possible to be this happy with someone she had only started dating a short time ago.  Not to mention someone who was once nothing, but a simple fantasy.  She remembered the times that she had sat in her own tub and imagined this very scenario with this man, long before she ever thought it could become a reality.  How on earth did she get this lucky? 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, there's smut ahead.

The day went on pretty much as the night had.  It was like the two of them had a hunger that just couldn't get satiated.  She left his place around nine that night despite John really wanting her to stay, but she insisted that she needed some rest as she was having breakfast with her gran the next day.  He had looked like a sad little puppy who had just had his favourite toy taken away, so she invited him over to her place the next night.   

\-------- 

The next day Clara had a lovely breakfast with her gran.  She was such a kind, caring, and smart, woman whom she admired very much.  Clara hadn't intended to tell her about John, but as soon as she sat down at the table her gran asked her who the new man was in her life.  This shouldn't have surprised her because her gran was always very perceptive, but it did.  She explained that she had the look of a woman who was falling in love.  That was all she needed to hear and she spent the entire meal talking about John.   At the end her gran wished her well and told her the next time they met John had better be with her. 

After her breakfast Clara went and did some shopping.  She had a theory about John that she was really excited to test out tonight, so she had gone to Victoria Secret.  Once she got home she quickly hand washed her new items and hung them to dry in her bathroom, knowing that they wouldn't take long to dry.  She hadn't really been the kind of girl who owned lingerie, but there was something about John that made her want to get more.  She then went to her computer and set up a playlist of songs she knew would be sure to wind him up.  After all that was done she went to her room and prepared her bed by changing the sheets and throwing some sheer fabric over her lamps to give the room a soft glow as well as putting out some vanilla scented candles to light later.   Once she had everything ready she decided to call Amy. 

"Hey you."  Amy said as she answered the phone. 

"Hey.  How's our favourite patient doing?  Clara asked. 

"A pain in the ass, but other than that good.  He's actually graduated to a walking cast and the doctors say he's healing remarkably well.  How's our favourite actor?" 

"He's good.  Really good in fact."  Clara answered. 

"So, I take it you've seen him since he got back from America?"  Amy asked. 

"Yeah, he had me over for dinner two nights ago." 

"And you’re just calling me now to tell me.  What happened to yesterday?" 

"Well technically our date didn't end until last night."  Clara really enjoyed torturing Amy. 

"Wait!  What?"  Amy said surprised.  "Oh my god Clara!  How was it?  Wait, don't answer that.  I'm on my way over." 

Clara laughed as Amy hung up the phone.  She walked into the kitchen to put the kettle on and prepare tea and biscuits knowing that her friend would be there shortly.  Sure enough, twenty-five minutes later Amy was at her door.  Clara greeted her with a cup of tea and the two girls made their way over to the couch. 

"Okay.  Details and don't leave anything out."  Amy demanded. 

Clara spent the next hour telling her about the amazing meal John had made and the way he had turned his house in to something out of a romance novel.  Then how they had danced in his living room, which led to them spending the rest of the night having sex until the sun came up.  She continued telling her about how Donna had shown up the next morning and then after she left they had more sex, followed by a bath, and more sex, until Clara left to come home. 

Amy was completely transfixed and sat there with her jaw half open the entire time Clara was speaking. 

"Oh my god Clara!  Even Rory and I didn't have that much sex when we first started dating.  How was he able to do it so many times?!" 

Clara chuckled as the words sex god popped into her mind, but she stopped herself from saying them.  "I don't know, but he wore me out that's for sure.  I needed to come home just to get some rest.  Despite the fact that he wanted me to stay another night." 

"Wow.  I have no words, other than wow."  Amy said and then a thought hit her.  "Does this mean you're going to bring him to my birthday party at the Tiki Bar next week?" 

"I don't know.  I hadn't asked him, but if he's free I think I will." 

"So when are you going to see him again?"  And as if on cue, there was a knock at the door. 

"I would say in about two seconds."  She responded as she walked to the door.  

She pulled the door open and sure enough John was on the other side looking incredibly handsome in faded worn jeans, a black graphic t-shirt, and a navy blazer with silky red lining.  She flashed him a smile and before she could say hi, he pulled her in for a searing kiss.  Clara suddenly forgot that Amy was there and wrapped her arms around John's neck to kiss him back.  They were pulled out of the moment by a coughing sound. 

"Oh shit.  Sorry Amy."  Clara said as she blushed. 

"That's okay.  John, nice to see you again."  She said, smiling at the two. 

"You too Amy.  Although it would be nice to see you and one of us not be surprised the other is here.”  John replied.   

“That would be nice.  Perhaps once Rory's doing a bit better we can have you two over for dinner.”  Amy said. 

“I would like that.”  John said. 

“Okay well you two don't need me here, so I'm going.  Clara I'll call you tomorrow.”  And with that Amy was gone and the two were alone.  Clara shut the door and looked at John who was now standing in her living room. 

"You're early."  She said.   

"Yep.  Sorry, I didn't know Amy would be here."  He said as he took off his blazer and sat down on the couch. 

"No problem.  I'm glad you’re here."  She said as she sat next to him on the couch.  "Dinner won’t be for another hour though." 

"That's okay.  I think I can think of something to entertain me while I wait."  He said as he pulled Clara onto his lap. 

She squealed at the sudden movement.  "John!  No."  She said as she tried to squirm out of his grasp.  "There will be plenty of time for that later, but right now I need to get dinner ready."  She stood up and moved into the kitchen, while John followed her.   

"Fine.  Can I give you a hand?"  He asked. 

"Sure.  You can open a bottle of wine and pour us a couple of glasses." 

He poured the wine and then helped Clara make dinner, by peeling potatoes. 

"You don't need to help me.  I mean you made me dinner the other night all on your own, so I should repay the favour."   

"You can repay me in other ways later."  He said as he winked at her.  Clara laughed.  They continued to prepare dinner and Clara couldn't help but feel that this was a glimpse at the domestic side of life with John.  She shook her head as it was way to soon to have that image in her mind.  She thought that maybe now was a good time to bring up Amy's birthday party.  She didn't know why, but she was feeling a little worried about asking him, perhaps because they hadn't really discussed their status and she wasn't sure if he was ready to meet her friends and co-workers. 

"Do you have plans next Saturday night?"  She asked as she handed him some carrots to be peeled as well. 

"That depends.  What are we doing?" 

Clara smiled at the fact that he just assumed his time would be spent with her.   "It's Amy's birthday and she's invited some people to a Tiki Bar.  I was just wondering if you want to go with me?   

"Of course.  I'd love to."  He said. 

"Really?  It will mean meeting a lot of people that I work with and they are likely going to have questions.  And there is a remote possibility that Danny might be there." 

"I don't mind.  Why do you think it would bother me?  Unless you're not ready to go public with your friends."  He said feeling a tad hurt that she would think he wouldn't want to meet her friends. 

"Not at all, it's just that we hadn't talked about it and I wasn't sure what your thoughts were." 

John stopped peeling and looked at her.  "Clara, I care for you very much and in fact, I know that it's early stages for us, but I can feel myself falling for you.  I want to meet your friends and get to know the people who are in your life, just like I want you to meet mine."  He hesitated before he spoke again.  "I was actually going to talk to you after dinner about this, but since we're talking about it now, how would you feel if I told the producers of my show about us?" 

"Why would they need to know you're dating someone?"  She asked. 

"Some things have come up with my job that I really want to talk to you about, but I can't and it's really starting to piss me off."  Today he had gotten the news that River of course had gotten the part and it meant in two months' time he would have to leave Clara to go work with his ex-wife.  He wanted so badly to tell her, but contractually he couldn't.  "Donna and I have a meeting at the BBC on Tuesday with some of the producers and one of the things I want to discuss with them is you." 

Clara looked at him.  "Okay and what will happen when you tell them about me?" 

"Donna hopes that if we go to them and explain the fact that I am no longer single, but now in a serious committed relationship, that they might agree to let you sign a non-disclosure agreement.  If they agree then I would be able to talk to you about the show, but it also means that a press release will need to go out about us and when that happens, people are going to want to know who you are." 

"Oh."  She said. 

"I know that you're still a little freaked out about me being famous and that it might be too soon, but I really need this to happen.  It's eating me up inside that I can't share certain aspects about my life with you." 

"Well I don't like the idea of you not being able to talk to me about important things, so I'm all for signing whatever they need me to sign.  As for announcing to the world that we’re together, I'm not thrilled with it, but I understand that it's part of your package and I need to get used to it.  However, I am going to need to talk to my dad before we tell the world and I'm not entirely sure how he's going to feel about me dating a man older than him." 

"Wait.  I'm older than your dad!?"  He exclaimed a tad shocked.   

"Just by two years."  She said.  "Is that a problem?" 

"No.  Just sometimes I forget that I'm as old as I am."  As he picked up the peeler and started peeling again. 

"Well if it makes you feel better he looks about ten years older than you."   

"That does make me feel better."  He smiled at her.  "So, when do you want to tell him?"   

"I think tomorrow might be best.  I'll just give him a quick call to see if it's okay that I drop by tomorrow."  She set her knife down and went to find her phone. 

"You mean we."  He yelled to her from the kitchen. 

She came back in with her phone in her hand.  "Pardon?"  

"You mean to see if it's okay  _we_  drop by."  He said emphasizing we. 

"You're coming with me?"  She asked a little shocked. 

"Yes.  I want to meet your father, Clara.  And it might help him deal with it if he meets me.  I can be rather charming you know." 

Clara chuckled.  "Oh, I know." 

She went back into the living room to call her dad.  Five minutes later, she came back. 

"Okay, well that's settled.  We're having dinner with my dad and step-mum tomorrow.  You better not hold back on the charm when it comes to her mister because she's a real piece of work and you’re going to have to work extra hard to win her over."  

"Yes, boss."  He replied and he smiled at her. 

They continued preparing dinner until they were finally able to enjoy the fruits of their labour.  Once they were finished eating Clara told John to go make himself comfortable on the couch while she went to freshen up.  She changed into her new lingerie, put her t-shirt and jeans back on, and then lit the candles so the scent of vanilla would fill the room.  She was ready to test her theory.     

John watched her walk out of her room and had to admit he was a little disappointed to see her in the same clothes.  He thought she was going to "slip into something a little more comfortable".  She walked over to her stereo and turned it on and he immediately recognised that it was the same music from the concert they went to.  He smiled at the memory of that night. 

"The Kills."  He said.  Clara turned around and smiled at him. 

"Yeah.  You liked them, right?"  She asked as she was slowly swaying her hips to the music. 

"I did, but I think I like the way you dance to their music better."  He replied not able to take his eyes off of her.  She was hypnotic as she continued to move. 

"Hmmm, like this?"  She asked as she moved closer to him and started running her hands over her body, being sure to pay extra attention to her breasts.  

"Oh yeah, that's nice."    He said as he felt his jeans getting tighter.  He was pretty sure he knew where she was going with this little show and the thought only excited him more. 

"How about this?"  She said as she pulled her t-shirt over her head and tossed it at him. 

"Even better."  He replied, his voice sounding a little gruffer.  Clara smiled knowing what she was doing to him and ran her hands over her breasts that were encased in a red lace bra.  She squeezed them together and fondled them until her nipples were hard.  She then moved her hands down her stomach and undid the button of her jeans.  She turned around and shook her butt as she pulled her zipper down and then started to shimmy her jeans down her legs, revealing a matching pair of red lace panties.   

"And this?"  She asked again, this time picking up her jeans and tossing those at him too. 

John licked his lips as he caught her trousers and was doing his best to not get up off the couch and carry her off to her bedroom.  "Spectacular."  He moaned as his breathing was getting heavier. 

"Hmm, I thought you might like this."  She said.  "You see I think there's two sides to you John."  She moved closer to him and straddled him.  John's hands immediately went to her hips, but he didn't dare move them.  Clara was in control and he wanted badly to see where she was going with all this. 

"And what two sides are that?"  He asked. 

Clara leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and started nibbling his ear lobe.  John moaned at the sensation of her teeth gently nipping at his skin.   

"You showed me a very passionate, tender, generous lover the other night."  She moved from his ear lobe to the spot right behind his ear.  "And I had a fantastic time with him, but you've also shown me a man who might be a little more erotic."  She placed more kisses on his neck before she took his ear lobe back into her mouth and sucked on it.  "And I would very much like to meet that man tonight.”  She whispered in his ear.  

John groaned at the feel of her hot breath and words in his ear.  He had let Clara see a glimpse of his more salacious side the night they Faced Timed and even though she had played along he wasn't sure if she was ready to turn things up a notch or two.  It was looking like she might be. 

"You would, would you?"  He replied as he slid his hands from her hips up her back. 

 "Very much."  She purred as she ran her hands down his chest to the bottom of his shirt.   

He started undoing her bra and leaned forward to whisper in her ear.  "Well, he would very much like to meet you, Clara Oswald."  He was sure to roll the r in her name a little longer. 

Clara quivered at the sound of his sultry voice and instantly felt a wave of heat rush to her core.  She felt her bra loosen and John's hands slowly move further up her back to pull the straps off her shoulders.  He was kissing her neck but stopped as he pulled his head back and gave her the most wicked grin while he removed her bra and threw it across the room.  

"Have I told you how great these are?"  He asked as he cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over her nipples. 

"Not in so many words."  She replied. 

He took one and squeezed with his hand as he brought his tongue down to lick around her nipple and then repeated the action with the other breast. 

"Well, I think your tits are fucking amazing." 

She flashed him a smile, excited to hear him speak so explicitly to her.  Her eyes went dark as her pupils dilated at the eroticism of the moment.  She had always enjoyed dirty talk during sex and couldn't be happier that John was into it.   She reached down and started stroking his hardening length through his jeans. 

"Your cock must think they're amazing too."  She replied as she started unbuckling his belt. 

"My cock thinks every part of your body is amazing."  He hissed as Clara pulled down his zipper, reached in and released his length.  She climbed off of him, knelt between his legs and started stroking him. 

"You've made me so hard, sweetheart."  John's Scottishness was starting to appear as he rolled the r in sweetheart, which only made Clara hotter. 

She leaned forward and licked the precum off his tip.  She swirled her tongue around it and then licked up and down his shaft, while she continued to stroke him. 

"I've been dying to suck your cock ever since the night I watched you stroking it."  Clara said in between licks.  She finally opened her mouth and took him in as far as she could and started sucking as she slowly moved her mouth up. 

"Sweet Jesus!"  John cursed at the sensation.  It had been a long time since he'd had someone give him a blow job and he knew he wasn't likely to last very long.  Clara repeated this action a few more times, before she picked up the pace and started bobbing her head up and down while pumping him with her hand.  She felt John put his hand at the back of her head, while the other one had managed to reach one of her boobs and was kneading the hell out of it.  Clara was so turned on by this that she had soaked right through her new panties.  She started to fondle his balls and could tell that he was likely getting close to exploding. 

"Oh god, Clara.  I'm so fucking close!  I'm going to cum sweetheart!"  John wasn’t sure if she wanted to take it in her mouth, so he wanted to be sure to give her a warning, but Clara continued to suck harder and faster, telling him that she wanted it. 

"Fucking hell!"  John yelled as he came and Clara eagerly swallowed continuing to suck him until he had nothing left to give.  She pulled him out of her mouth and wiped the back of her hand across her chin.   

“I don't think I'm going to be able to watch you dance again and not get fucking hard as a rock.” John said while he helped Clara up, pulling her onto his lap and placing kisses on her neck, as he slipped his hand down her panties and started stroking her folds.  "Fuck you're wet."   

“What can I say, I love sucking cock.”  She replied as she moved her hand to the back of John's head and pushed it towards her breasts. 

“Fan-fucking-tastic because I enjoy having mine sucked.”  He said just before he swirled his tongue around her nipples, moving back and forth from one breast to the next. 

Clara moaned and felt a rush of heat flow through her and desperately needed to get John naked. 

“You have way too many clothes on mister.  Off.  Now.” 

“Yes boss.”  He said as he stood up with her in his arms and carried her into her bedroom where he laid her down  and immediately started to strip his clothes off.  Clara moved to sit at the end of the bed to get a better view. 

John looked at her and could just see the lust in her eyes.  "Now who's wearing too many clothes."  He said as he pointed at her panties. 

"I was hoping you would take them off for me."  She replied slowly sticking tongue out to wet her lips as she leaned back on her hands. 

John knealt in front of her and slowly slid his hands up her legs, stopping at her knees to push them apart.  He trailed his right hand up her thigh until he reached her lace covered mound and started stroking her with his long fingers.  The anticipation of what was going to happen was driving Clara wild.  All she wanted was for him to strip her bare and ravish her sex until she was screaming so loud the neighbours would complain.  Instead, he seemed to be taking his time, as if he was doing it on purpose to torture her and prolong her desire.  She started squirming and John knew that he was successfully working her up.  He looked up at her and Clara could see that his usually green eyes now looked steel blue, full of lust.  He slowly raised one corner of his thin lips into a sinister smile, that only made Clara ache for him more.  

"Fuck John."  Clara said frustrated. 

"What?"  He said grinning at her, knowing full well what she wanted. 

"Get on with it already."  She demanded. 

 "Tell me what you need."  He continued stroking her.  "I want to hear you say it." 

"I need you."  She begged. 

John stopped stroking and leaned forward to place a soft kiss over her clitoris.  "Say what you need, Clara.  I want to hear the words come from that beautiful mouth that just fucked my cock."   

He moved his hands to the band of her knickers and slowly pulled them down just enough for him to see the top of her mound. 

"I need you to fuck me with your tongue."   She replied staring into his eyes so deep that her desire would forever be burned in his mind. 

In the blink of an eye he tore her panties off and had his mouth on her.  He sucked her clit into his mouth and swirled his tongue around her entrance before he dipped it into her.  Clara let out a loud long cry at finally feeling his mouth on her.  He had worked her up so much that she knew she was going to explode in no time.  She loved watching him as he feasted on her, especially the sight of those grey curls she had always wanted to run her fingers through.  She reached down and grabbed the back of his head, pushing him a little deeper into her sex. 

"Oh fuck John!  Your tongue feels so good."  Clara panted. 

John could tell that she was getting close to cuming and decided to focus his assault on her clit, replacing his tongue with two of his fingers. 

"Oh my fucking god John!  Oh yes, just like that!  Fuckkkkk!  She screamed as she finally came falling back onto the bed. 

John wiped his mouth with his hand as he stood up and looked down at her.  He felt proud that he was the reason she looked completely spent trying to get her breathing under control.   

"Please don't tell me you're done after that."  John said.  Clara opened her eyes and looked at him.  He was standing at the foot of the bed running his hand up and down his shaft.  "Because eating you out woke something up." 

"Oh I'm not done."  She replied as she got up off the bed. 

"Sit."  She told him and John wasn't sure what she was doing but did as he was told and sat on the edge of the bed.  Clara than moved towards him and straddled him as she took his length inside her.  John moaned at finally being able to feel her tightness around him.  She began moving up and down while John wrapped one arm around her waist and placed the other one behind him for leverage so he could meet her thrust for thrust.  Their chests were pressed together and their tongues dueled while they kissed.  Clara was still buzzing from her last orgasm, so it was no surprise that she felt another one fast approaching.   

“Harder!” She exclaimed. 

John stood up as Clara wrapped her legs around him.  He turned around to lay them on the bed and started pounding into her as hard and fast as he could go.  It wasn't long before they both screamed their release.   

John slowly pulled out of Clara and fell onto the bed next to her.   

“Wow.”  Clara panted as she rolled over to look at John.  “I like this side of you.” 

John turned his head and smiled at her.  “Well if you're up for adventure I can likely show you a thing or two.” 

“With you I'll go on any adventure you want to take me.”  She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his side.  John caressed her back and it wasn't long before the two fell asleep. 


	22. Chapter 22

John woke up the next morning feeling the happiest he had felt in a very long time, despite what was going on with his work.  He looked down at the woman who was snuggled into his chest and couldn't stop himself from kissing the top of her head.  This woman who came into his life just a short time ago, was quickly becoming the most important thing in it.  He hated the thought that he would soon have to go back to Cardiff and be separated from her.  And worst of all he would have to be there with River.  He really hoped that the producers would allow him to talk to her about it because he hated keeping this information from her.  He suddenly felt a hand rubbing circles on his chest, bring him out of his thoughts. 

"Morning."  He said as he looked down at Clara.

"Good morning indeed."  She replied as she placed a kiss on his chest.

He chuckled.  "Is someone feeling fulfilled?"

"In more ways than you know."  She winked at him.

"Oh, I think I know all the ways you're fulfilled.  I'm pretty sure I had a hand in fulfilling you."  He replied as he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

Clara laughed and then rolled out of bed.  "Where are you going?  I was enjoying our snuggle."

"I'm going to the bathroom and you're going to go make coffee."

John smiled at her.  "Yes, boss."  For some reason he really liked when she told him what to do.

When Clara came out of the bathroom she found her black satin robe and put it on before heading out to the kitchen.  She smiled when she saw the sight before her.  John was standing in her kitchen making coffee completely naked.

"What are you doing?"  She asked.

"Making coffee."  He replied, continuing his task.

"Yes, I can see that, but why are you naked?"

"You didn't tell me to put clothes on, just to make coffee."  He replied as he turned the machine on and turned around to her.  "Why are you NOT naked?"

"You're a twit, you know that right."  She laughed.

"Yeah, but I'm your twit."  He smiled as he approached her and swooped her up off her feet, carrying her back to the bedroom.  

Clara yelped in surprise.  "What are you doing?"

"Killing time while we wait for coffee."  He replied as he laid her down on the bed.

\-------------------

An hour later the two were drinking coffee and eating breakfast at her kitchen table.  

"So what time do we need to be at your dad's?"  John asked.

"Around 4, so we have some time.  But I'm guessing you want to go home and change first."

"Yeah, I wasn't thinking when I left the house yesterday to bring a bag with me.  Was just kind of anxious to see you."  He said remembering that he had just spoken to Donna about River and immediately wanted to be with her.  

"Is it about what you can't talk to me about."  Clara asked really wishing she knew what was going on in his mind.

John just nodded his head.  "But hey, I don't want to think about that now.  Did you at least warn your dad that you were bringing a man home who is older than him?"

"Now what fun would that be if I did."  Clara said.       

“Clearly no fun for you, but what about me?

“I thought it might be fun to see you squirm.”  She grinned at him.   

“You have an evil side to you, don't you.”  He returned her grin.   “But seriously, what did you tell your dad?”

“I told him that I had started seeing someone and would it be okay if I brought him around to meet him.  He said yes, come for dinner.  I said okay.”

“And you didn't tell him who I am?”  He asked.       

“He wouldn't know you even if I did.  Dad and Linda aren't much into watching TV, so I highly doubt they're going to know you.”

“Okay.  At least I know what I'm walking into.” He smiled at her.

They finished breakfast and John went home to get ready for their dinner.  He told Clara he had some errands to run, but would be back to pick her up at 3.  That had given Clara enough time to clean up and get ready herself.  It had been a long time since she had taken a guy home to meet her dad, so she was starting to feel a little nervous.

John arrived exactly on time and when Clara opened her door she was surprised to see him standing there holding a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine.

“Oh these are beautiful.”  She said as she went to take the flowers from him. 

“Sorry, but they aren't for you.”  He said as he pulled them away.  “They're for your step-mum.”

“Charmer.” She smirked at him.

“Just doing what you told me to do.”  He replied as he bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  “I wasn't sure what to get your dad, so I thought wine for dinner might be good.”

“Yeah it's great.  Let me grab my bag and we can go.”

Fifty minutes later the cab had let them out in front of Clara's dad's house.  Clara suddenly felt a wave of butterflies attack her stomach and wondered if it was too late to get the cab back.  She looked at John and he could see the worry on her face for the first time since this plan had been put into motion.

“It's going to be okay, sweetheart.  Even if they don't like me it doesn't change how I feel about you.”  He said trying to reassure her.

“You’re right.  I just want him to like you.”

“Well let's find out.”  He said as he took her hand and walked up to the door.  Clara rang the doorbell and before long her dad was opening the door.

"Clara!"  He said as he pulled her in for a hug.

"Hi dad."  She said as she returned the gesture.  Clara and her dad had always had a good relationship, but since Linda had come into their lives things weren't what they used to be and she stopped coming around so much.  She loved her dad very much, but it was difficult to watch her step-mum alienate him from the people who were once closest to him.  She pulled away from the hug to introduce John.

"Uh, dad this is John.  John this is my dad, Dave."  Clara said as she held her breath unsure of what was about to happen.  Although she didn't know what she expected because it wasn't like her dad ever showed much in the way of emotions.

John smiled and extended his hand.  "Nice to meet you Dave."

Dave was a little taken aback, but accepted John's hand.  "Ahh you too, John.  Please come in."

"Thank you."  He replied as they entered.

"I bought this for dinner."  He said as he handed Dave the bottle of wine. "I hope you like it."

"I'm sure we will, thanks."

"Where's Linda, dad?"  Clara asked, not really caring where she was, but thought she should ask.

"Probably in the kitchen."  He replied and then yelled for her.  She came walking out and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw John.

"Oh my god!  John Anderson!?  What is John Anderson doing in our house?"  She shrieked looking between John and Dave.

"What do you mean?"  Dave replied extremely confused.  "You know Clara's boyfriend?"

"This is Clara's boyfriend!?"  She exclaimed.  "He can't be Clara's boyfriend!  He's older than you and famous!"

During this exchange, John leaned over and whispered to Clara, "So much for them not knowing who I am."

Clara sighed, "Yeah this went well."

"Uh, hi Linda."  John said, hoping to calm the woman down and diffuse the situation.  "First, yes I am Clara's boyfriend."  It felt good to say that out loud for the first time.  "Second, I bought these for you."  He said as he handed her the flowers.

Linda just stared at him as she took the flowers.  "Ah thanks.  I, uh, wow, I just can't believe you're standing in my house.  I have been a fan since you were on East Enders."  

"Oh, that was a long time ago."  He replied not wanting to discuss his time spent on the soap.  He had been desperate for work and took what he could back in those days.  Not many people remembered, but of course it would be Clara's step-mum that did.

"Clara, what does Linda mean he's famous?"  Dave asked, still completely confused.

"Um, let's go sit down dad and we'll explain."  She said as she walked towards the living room, everyone following, except Linda who retreated back to the kitchen.

John and Clara sat down next to each other on the couch and Dave sat in his chair across from them.

"Have you ever heard of a show called Time Avengers?"  Clara asked.

"Of course, but I haven't seen it since it came back on air.  Why?"  Dave responded.

"John plays the Avenger.  He has for the past three years."  She told him, as Linda walked into the room and sat down in the chair near Dave's.  "I honestly didn't think you would know him, so I didn't think to mention it.  Sorry about that."

"You also failed to mention that you were dating someone older than your dad."  Linda added.

There she was.  Clara was wondering how long Linda would remain quiet.  "I don't see how that's important.  It's just a number."  She replied curtly.  

John reached for her hand, knowing that Linda had just hit a nerve.

"Listen.  I know that this comes as a shock to you both, but I care for your daughter very much and my age or fame are not factors for us, so it shouldn't be for anyone else."  John said looking between Dave and Linda, but mostly at Linda.

"I just don't see what you could possibly see in a child like Clara."  Linda added

"She's hardly a child.  She's 31 and a very independent woman."  John replied.  

"Right, uh Dave can I see you in the kitchen for a moment?"  Linda asked and the two left the room.

"You really weren't exaggerating about her, were you."  John said.

"Yeah, we're going to have to go."  Clara replied.  

"But we just got here."  John answered, not fully believing that they would leave after this. 

"Yeah, but Linda's angry and she's going to convince my dad we should leave."  And as if on cue, her dad walked out of the kitchen without Linda.

"Honey, I'm really sorry but,"

"It's okay dad."  Clara said, not giving him a chance to finish.  "We'll go."  As she got up she tapped John on the leg, indicating for him to follow.

"Why don't I come see you next week and we can have lunch?  The three of us."  Dave offered.

"Absolutely."  She replied as she hugged her dad.

"I'm really sorry about this John."  Dave offered his hand and John shook it.

"I look forward to having lunch with you."  John replied.

They left and decided to walk for a bit to help Clara calm down.  John looked down at her and wrapped an arm around her.  She looked so sad and he never wanted to see her this way again.

"You okay?"  He asked.

"Yeah."  She sighed.  "I'm used to it.  But it just makes me miss my mom and the way life used to be."  John squeezed her a little tighter.  "I'm sorry you had to see that, but I'm glad you were with me."

"Don't apologise.  Families are not easy to deal with."  He said trying to reassure her.  "Why don't we go back to my place, order curry, and cuddle on the couch while we watch a movie."

Clara smiled at him.  She didn't know how she got so lucky, but she was glad that she did.  John was truly the best thing to happen in her life in a very long time.

"That sounds perfect."  She replied as they hailed a cab and headed back to his place.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update and for the seriousness of this chapter. Stick with me and I promise the next chapter is going to be fun.

“I really am starting to hate this place, Donna.”  John said as they were on their way to meet with the producers again.

“I told you, you didn't have to come.  I'm perfectly capable of negotiating terms and in fact it's what you pay me to do.”  She responded.

“I know, but I just thought it might be harder for them to say no to me in person.”

“Have you met TV producers? I'm pretty sure they don't have feelings, so it likely won't matter.”

Just then the doors opened on the 10th floor and the two were greeted by Michael.  He took them to a boardroom this time where David and 2 other producers were waiting.  

“John.  Donna.  Thanks for coming.  Please have a seat.”  John and Donna took a seat opposite the big wigs.  “First let me start by saying we understand hiring River puts you in a difficult position so we want to make this as easy as possible for you, John.”

“Good.”  Donna said.  “We hope then that you will accommodate some terms that John would like to add.”

“Well fire away and we'll see what we can do.”

“Okay.  One, he would like as little contact with River as possible.  Obviously, they will need to do script readings and shooting together, but no PR.”

The negotiations continued for over an hour like a game of tennis.  Donna would lob them a condition and they would lob an exception back.  For the most part they were getting most of what they wanted, which to be honest wasn't much, and so far, John was pleased with everything.

“This is good.”  Donna said and looked at John who nodded at her.  “We just have one final issue that needs to be discussed.” 

“Okay and what's that?”  Michael asked.

“We understand that River being brought onto the show is top secret and that agreements have been signed that prevent John from speaking to anyone about her.”

“Yes.”  David said.  “I'm afraid that is something that's not negotiable.”

“David, you have to hear me out before you say no negotiation.”  Donna replied.

“We have been hearing you out for the last hour and have been very accommodating, but a lot has been invested in this and we cannot risk it being leaked.”

“David, you may not want to listen to Donna, but you're going to listen to me.”  John spoke for the first time since they arrived.  “I’ve started seeing someone and I can't keep this kind of information from her.”

"Well congrats John, but we still can't take that risk, especially with someone you’ve just started dating.”  David replied. 

“So, what am I supposed to do?  Not tell her that in a couple of months I'll be working with my ex-wife.  And instead just let her read about it on the Internet.”  John said, raising his voice a little.  

“Look, what John is getting at is that this woman isn't just some fling.   He may have just started seeing her, but they are both committed to each other.  And you all know that he isn't some playboy who has a different woman every week.  He has shied away from relationships since his divorce, so for him to be sitting here making this request, says a lot.” Donna added, trying to plead his case more. 

"I understand that."  David replied.  "But the answer is still no."

"Fuck David!"  John yelled, startling everyone in the room.  Donna put her hand on John's arm, partly to calm him down and partly to remind him of where he was.  He looked at her and took a deep breath before speaking again.  "I've finally opened myself up to another woman and now I have to lie to her.  Do you not understand the position I'm in?" 

David looked at the other producers and whispered to one of them, who nodded his head.  

"Could the two of you give us a minute?"  He asked.

"Sure."  Donna replied and she and John left the boardroom.

As soon as the door shut behind them, John started pacing back and forth, one hand balled into a fist and the other rubbing his head.  Donna hadn't seen him this way in a very long time and hated that it was reminding her of a dark time in her friend's life.

"What am I going to do if I can't tell Clara what's going on?"

"It'll be okay John.  I know I only just met Clara, but from what you tell me, I think she will be understanding."  Donna said, trying to do her best to reassure him it would be okay.  

John continued pacing until Michael came to the door and called them back in.  John could tell by the solemn look he gave the two, that John was likely not going to get the answer he wanted.

They entered and returned to their seats.

"So, after discussing it further, we have come up with perhaps a bit of a compromise.  We aren't changing our mind about the non-disclosure."  David stopped talking as John looked like he was about to say something, but Donna once again grabbed his arm to stop him.  "However, we will allow you to tell her the day before we make the official announcement.  That way it comes from you and not the press."

"Well it's not ideal David, but it's better than nothing."  Donna replied.

"You may not believe me John, but I truly am sorry that we can't do more."  David added.

John felt utterly defeated.  He had so hoped to go home and finally tell Clara everything, but now he was left having to pretend everything was fine when it wasn't.  They left the BBC and Donna suggested they go grab a pint.  She knew how he could get lost in his thoughts and right now he needed to be with someone that he could be open and honest with.  

"Look John, I know this wasn't the outcome we had hoped for, but at least you can tell her before they publicize it."  Donna said as she took a drink of her lager.  "Plus, we did get them to agree on the other issues, namely doing press with her and minimizing the amount of contact you have." 

"Yeah, but I just wish I could tell Clara the truth."  John said as he stared into the depths of the amber liquid, as if the answer to his problems were suddenly going to float to the top.  "I just know that this is going to be hard and I'll have no one to talk to about it."

"What am I, chopped liver?"  Donna replied, slightly offended.

"You know what I mean."  John said as he rolled his eyes at her.  "I want to be completely open and honest with her."

"I know, but at least you can talk to me if you have a tough day at any of the script readings.  And at least they're going to make the announcement before you start shooting, so she'll know before you go back to Cardiff."

"Yeah.  Don't remind me of that."  He said.

"What?  You're not looking forward to getting back to shooting?  Well other than for the obvious reason of River."

"I'm just not ready to leave Clara for long stretches of time."  He replied.

Donna chuckled and John looked at her and quirked his expressive eyebrow at her.

"What's so funny?"

"You.  Of course, you're not ready to leave her because you two have probably been shagging like bunnies since you started getting some.”

John grinned at the thought.   They had been going at it a lot and it would definitely be something he would miss when he goes back to Cardiff, but obviously not the only thing he would miss. 

“You really like this girl, don't you?”  Donna asked noticing the smile that appeared on his face.

“I think it might be more than like Donna.”  John sighed.  “I can already tell that the feelings I have for Clara are different than what I felt for River at the same point in our relationship.”

“Well if she's feeling the same way, then you've got not nothing to worry about.  Go to her, explain the situation as best as you can, and then have crazy sex for the rest of the day.”  Donna said, hoping to make him feel better.  “She'll understand, Doctor.”

“Hope so.”  John replied and finished the rest of his beer.

\--------------

John arrived at Clara's flat to take her out for dinner.  Instead what he was greeted with was a kiss and the smell of home cooking.  He gave her a quizzical look as he entered her place.  He had called her after his drink with Donna and made the plan and was now a little confused as to why she had cooked.

"After I spoke to you on the phone, I decided to make you dinner instead.  You sounded kind of down and I thought staying in might be a better plan."  She answered his question, knowing that was what he was thinking.  She walked back into the kitchen and poured 2 glasses of wine, while John made himself at home in the living room.  

"So, I'm guessing it didn't go well at the BBC today."  She said as she handed him a glass and sat down next to him.

"Unfortunately, no."  He answered.  "They said no to letting you sign a non-disclosure.  I'm sorry."

"It's okay."  She said sounding a little disappointed.

"No, it's not."  John said raising his voice a little and taking Clara by surprise.  "Sorry, I'm just frustrated and feeling like my life is owned by the BBC now." 

Clara reached out and took his hand in hers, not really sure what she could say to make him feel better or sure what was going on with the show that got him this worked up.

"Why don't you just tell me what you can tell me?  Maybe I can fill in the missing pieces and then it won't be like you told me, it'll just be that I guessed."  She suggested.

John looked at her and thought for a second.  Could he?  She was smart and could surely figure it out.  But was it a risk he was willing to take?

"Why don't we start with what you think you know already?"  He asked.

"Okay.  Well, I know it has to do with the reading, which meant that you read with someone who was auditioning and if they were auditioning then it's likely a new character in the show."  

Damn she was clever John thought to himself.  He just nodded at her indicating that she was on the right path.

"And obviously you can't tell me about the character or who the person is who got the part."

John nodded again.

"And whoever that person is, is why you're not happy.  That's all I got.  I can't figure out who it is, nor do I want to if it means risking your future."

"God damn you're brilliant."  He said as he smiled at her.  "I want so badly to tell you, Clara."

"And you will.  When you can."  

"How did I get so lucky to find you?"  He said as he leaned forward and gave her a light kiss on the cheek.  "You are one in million Clara Oswald."

"I'm not that special, but thanks for thinking it."  She said as she got up to check on dinner.  John followed her in to the kitchen.

"Believe me, compared to my ex-wife you are."  He said.

Clara was a little taken aback at the mention of his ex-wife.  He had only ever mentioned her once before and she still didn't know what had really happened other than she cheated on him.  She was curious about it, so she thought she might push the conversation a bit more.

"Your marriage really ended badly didn't it?"  She asked as she took the lasagna out of the oven.

"It did."  John could tell that Clara was looking for more information, but he just couldn't go down that road with her for fear of spilling the beans about River and the show.  "I promise, one day I will tell you about it, but not tonight, okay?"

"Okay, dropping the ex-wife for now."  She said as she smiled at him.  

He wrapped his arms around her and drew her in for a hug.  As long as he had her, everything would be okay and pushed the thoughts of River out of his mind to enjoy the rest of the night with the woman who deserved his attention.


	24. Chapter 24

The week was finally past him and John couldn't have been looking more forward to the weekend.  Between the disastrous dinner, not dinner at Clara's dad's to the BBCs hoity-toity stuck in the mud ways, he was ready to unwind and have a fun night out with Clara.    


The two had spent Saturday afternoon having lunch with Clara's dad, an event that John wasn’t sure if it was either going to add to his shitty week or be the thing that turned it around.  Turned out it was the latter.  When they met Dave he was pleasant and cordial, leaving any discussion of their relationship until after lunch.  John could tell that throughout the meal, Dave was watching him and his daughter together, almost studying them, waiting to formulate his opinion.  Once the plates were cleared and coffee delivered, Dave gave his deliberation.  He was honest that he would prefer Clara be with someone her own age, but he could see that she was happy and that was all he ever wanted for her.  He could tell that they cared for each other very much and that John would give nothing but respect and admiration to his little girl.  Clara was happy that her dad gave his blessing, even though it wouldn't have changed her mind if he hadn't, but it made it easier that he did.  John was happy because she was happy.

Now they were back at John's getting ready for Amy's party.  Clara was standing in the bathroom rummaging through her makeup bag and John was standing in the doorway enjoying the view.  She had her toiletries laid out on one side of his vanity, opposite of where he kept his, and her toothbrush stood next to his.  She belonged here.  He turned and walked back into his room and pulled out one of the drawers in his chest of drawers and dumped the contents onto the bed.  He was finding a home for the newly abandoned clothes when Clara walked in.

“What are you doing?”  She asked curiously.

“Putting clothes away.” He answered while he was stuffing a t-shirt into a drawer.

“I can see that, but you're jamming that shirt in there as if you were stuffing a turkey on Christmas morning.  You have an empty drawer right here.”  She said pointing at it on his bed.

“No I don't.  _You_ have an empty drawer.”  He replied emphasising you.

“What?” Clara said not fully believing the implication.

John stopped what he was doing and walked over to her and picked up the drawer.

"This is for you, so you can leave some stuff here.  If you want?"  He replied a little unsure if she liked the gesture.  "I just thought that you've spent a lot of time here this week and that it would be nice to leave some of your clothes, so you don't always have to bring a bag.  But if you think it's too soon, then I understand."  

"Oh my god no!  That is really sweet and of course I accept this drawer."  She said as she took it from him and placed it in the vacant spot, John had pulled it from earlier. 

"Thank you so much."  She said as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in for a kiss.

"You're very welcome."  He replied.  "Now are you ready to go yet?"

"One second."  She replied as she ran back into the washroom to finish doing her make-up.

The two left fifteen minutes later, catching a cab to save time as they were running slightly behind schedule due to a shared shower earlier.  Clara was really excited to spend time with her friends and for them to meet John.  Although she was slightly concerned that Danny might be there because she hadn't really spoken to him since the night of their date.  They pulled up outside the bar and got out of the cab.

"You ready to meet my friends?"  Clara asked as John took her hand.

"You bet.  I'm hoping they have some juicy stories to share."  He replied as he held the door open for her.

They walked in and Clara looked around and finally spotted the group over in a corner with some standing tables and bar stools.  It was nice to see that Amy was able to get a section the was a bit private from the rest of the bar, so they would have a more intimate space.  

“Finally!”  Amy said as they approached.  She and Rory had snagged one of the tables with a bar stool so Rory could sit with his broken leg.  

“Sorry.”  Clara said as she hugged Amy and then Rory.

“That's okay.  I'm just glad you're here!”  Clara could tell that Amy was well on her way to having a good birthday.

Amy gave John a hug and he wished her a happy birthday before she introduced him to Rory.  John then asked Clara what she wanted to drink and went to the bar to get it.  While he was gone a couple of her friends from work came up to them to start chatting.

“Clara!  Did you just come here with John Anderson?!”  Her friend Jane asked.  She was a bit of a gossip so for sure everyone at Coalhill would know she was dating John by the end of the night.

“I did, yeah.”  Clara answered.

“Wow!  So how do you know him?”  Asked her other friend Sara.

“He's my boyfriend.”  Clara replied as her lips curled into a smile.  She had heard John say it before to Linda, but this was the first time she had said it.

“Your what?!”  Both girls exclaimed at the same time.  

“How can that be?"  Sara asked.  

"Where on earth did you meet him?"  Jane asked right after Sara.

"And I thought you were dating Danny?”  Sara chimed in again.

"Whoa!  One at a time."  Amy said seeing that Clara was a little taken aback by all the questions.  "And be cool.  He's person just like us."

"Sorry.  It's just that we were so surprised when Clara walked in with him and then to hear he's her boyfriend is even more shocking because you never told us you had met him, let alone are dating him."  Jane replied.

"It's okay.   I know I probably should have said something, but the timing of it all was a bit awkward and I didn't exactly know what to say to people."  Clara said.

"So, what happened to Danny?"  Sara asked.

"That just didn't work out."  Clara said.

"Does he know about John?"  Jane asked.

"He does."  Clara responded, not wanting to give them too much information.

Just then John returned carrying four drinks.  Clara quirked an eyebrow at him wondering about the two extra drinks and as if he read her mind he answered.

"For the birthday girl and her husband."  He said as he passed the drinks to Amy and Rory.

"Thanks so much John."  Amy said.

"To the birthday girl."  John said as he raised a glass and everyone toasted.  Just then John noticed the two girls that had joined them.

"Oh hello."  He said as he looked at them.

"Oh John, this is Sara and Jane.  They work with Amy and me.  Guys this is John."  She said as she introduced them.

“Nice to meet you both.”  John said as he shook their hands.

“You too.”  They both said.

The group continued talking and Sara and Jane finally calmed down a bit.  However, Clara did catch them gawking at John from time to time and it reminded her of how she was the first time she saw him at the pub when she was there with Danny.  Funny, how she didn't know him at all then, but now it felt like he had always been a part of her life.  She looked at him and smiled at the fact that this man, who a lot of women would probably jump at the opportunity to be with, was here with her.

More people started arriving and the party was really starting to get into the swing of it.  People were dancing, mingling, and drinking.  John and Clara had been able to grab a couple of stools and joined Amy and Rory at their table and John and Rory were hitting it off, talking about music, which really made Amy and Clara happy.  John had his hand resting on Clara's thigh and was subtly rubbing his hand up and down, while Clara was leaning into him with her arm around his shoulder.

They had been there for a couple of hours when John got up to go get more drinks.  It was at this point that Danny walked in.  Clara noticed him first and wasn't entirely sure how to react.  She thought that it would be okay if he showed up, but now that he actually had she felt a little awkward.  They hadn't spoken since the night he left her in the park and she wasn't really sure what to say to him.  But it looked like she didn't have much time to figure it out when he started heading in their direction.

“Happy birthday Amy.”  He said as he gave her a hug.

“Thanks Danny.  I'm so glad you could make it.”  Amy said and glanced at Clara, which prompted Danny to look at her having not noticed her earlier.

“Hi Clara.”  He said with no emotion what so ever.  

“Hi Danny.  How have you been?”  She asked trying to make small talk. 

“Fine.  What about you?”  

“Good.”

Danny glanced around as if he was looking for someone and then looked back at Clara.

“So where's your old man?”  He asked thinking that he was being clever, but didn't realise that John had just returned to the table.         

“Her _old man_ is right here.”  John said with a sneer.   

As he had been walking back to the table he noticed a man talking to Clara and as he got closer recognised him as PE.  He had once felt sorry for this man because he had technically stolen Clara from him, but with that comment he no longer did.

Danny turned around and was standing face to face with the man that ruined his relationship.  He didn't care one bit that he had heard him and in fact he was glad that he did.

Clara jumped off her stool and moved over next to John as the testosterone levels were quickly rising.

"Hey, okay.  Ah John this is Danny.  Danny this is John."  She quickly said trying to stop whatever was about to happen.

"I know who he is Clara."  Danny said rudely.  "He's the man who likes to cradle rob and steal another man's woman."

"Well I can see now why it was so easy for me to do that."  John fired back. 

"Enough!"  Clara shouted, loud enough for the two to hear her over the music, but not loud enough to not cause a scene.  

"First, I was NOT _your woman_ to steal and second, he did not _steal me_.  I explained all of this before and I'm not going to go over it again."  She stated firmly.  "I am sorry for what I did to you Danny, but none of that was John's fault.  So, if you want to be angry with someone, be angry with me, not him."

"I'm sorry Clara, but it was his fault.  Everything was fine with us until _he_ walked into the picture."  Danny said as he pointed a finger at John.

"Yeah, if it was so fine, why did she agree to go on a date with me?"  John added.

"Because she was infatuated with you and you knew that!  You saw her at the convention and then when you saw her at the pub, you thought this is my chance to shag a fan."  Danny yelled.

John drew back his arm and was about ready to punch Danny, but before he could Clara had slapped him across the face.  Danny stood there holding his cheek, staring at Clara in disbelief and the rest of the party and some of the patrons of the bar were now watching.

"How dare you."  She said.  "You don't know the first thing about him or our relationship.  He was nothing but a gentleman and far more understanding of the situation I was in at the time then you were.  I can see now that I clearly chose the better man, not that I had any doubt before."

Clara grabbed her bag off the table.  "Amy I'm really sorry if we ruined your birthday, but I think it's best that we go."  She hugged her friend who was still in shock over what had happened, that she barely returned it.

"Yeah, okay.  Call me tomorrow."  Amy said.

Clara turned, grabbed John's hand and led him out of the bar and didn't stop until they were about a block away, when John tugged her hand to get her to stop. 

"Hey, slow down."  He said.

"Sorry.   I'm just so mad right now.  How could he say that!?  He made what we have sound cheap and meaningless!"  She yelled.

John wrapped his arms around her and drew her in for a hug.  

"But we and everyone else knows that's not true."  He said as he kissed the top of her head.  "He is still very angry about what happened and is trying to make himself feel better by blaming me.  It's easier to do that than for him to actually accept the fact that you were never really interested in him.  His pride is hurt."

"I know, but it doesn't excuse his behaviour."

"No, it doesn't."  He said as he pulled away from her.  "Now let's go back to my place and put this night behind us.  I’ll run a bath and you can have a nice soak in my giant tub?"

"Only if you're planning on sharing that bath with me."  She replied.

"Well of course.  I can't risk you drowning in the deep end."  He said as he winked at her and hailed a cab.  Clara smiled at him, feeling grateful that this man had come into her life.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning lots of sexy time ahead.

Clara was in the kitchen making breakfast when John walked in. It made his heart swell to see her standing in his kitchen, wearing only his pajama shirt, and moving around as if it were her own. He walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and placed a soft kiss on her neck.

“Smells great.” He said as he took a whiff and nuzzled further into her neck.

Clara chuckled. “Me or the food?”

“Both.” He replied as he pulled her back into him.

“Down tiger. Breakfast is almost ready.”

“Alright, I'll eat that first.” He said as he gave her neck a nibble and then pulled away to grab plates.

While they were eating breakfast, they discussed what they wanted to do for the day since it was raining.

“Well I can think of something I'd like to do.” He said as he wagged his eyebrows at her.

“You always want to do that.” She said as she playfully slapped him on the arm.

“True.” He replied. “Do you want to snuggle on the couch and watch a movie.”

“Sounds good.” She said.

“Okay. I'll wash up while you give Amy a call and then I'll meet you on the couch.”

“Okay. It's probably late enough now that I can call her.” She said as she got up and went upstairs to grab her phone. It rang for a bit before Amy picked up.

“Hey.” She said, sounding like she just woke up.

“Shit. Did I wake you?” Clara asked.

“Nah. I've just been laying here contemplating if I can stay in this bed for the rest of my life.”

“Hungover?”

“Oh yeah.” Amy replied.

“So it was a good night despite what happened with Danny?”

“Yeah. After you and John left, Danny left feeling really embarrassed. I think after you slapped him he realised he crossed a line. In fact, I think Sara and Jane may have told him that.”

“Really?” Clara responded, surprised.

“Yeah. Although the night gets fuzzy for me after that.”

“Okay. Well I'm glad that we didn’t ruin your birthday.” Clara said.

“Nope. Birthday was still good. I'm just sorry you guys couldn't stay longer.”

“Me too.” Clara replied. “Why don't the four of us do dinner next week.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” Amy answered.

Clara ended her call with Amy, feeling better that she didn’t ruin her birthday. She went back downstairs and found John on the couch waiting for her to choose a movie.

“Everything okay with Amy?” He asked as she sat next to him.

“Yeah, well aside from a hangover, it's all good.”

“Glad to hear. So what are you in the mood for?”

"Hmm, Fifty Shades of Grey?" She replied giving him a sly smile.

"I like the way you think." He replied as he winked at her and searched for the movie.

About half way through, Clara found herself lying on the couch with her head in John's lap, while he was running his fingers through her hair. She was in utter bliss and thought right at this moment, life couldn't get any better. That was until she felt John's hand move from her hair down to her hip. He started caressing her, pulling his shirt she was wearing up with each stoke of his hand. She was trying to focus on the TV but was starting to have a difficult time now that he had managed to reach her skin, leaving her exposed on his couch. He snaked his hand around her and was now slipping it between her legs. She adjusted her position a bit to allow him better access, which he eagerly took as he pulled his long fingers between her folds.

That was it, Clara was no longer paying attention to the movie and instead turned her focus to his growing erection in his pajama bottoms. She reached up and started massaging the bulge, causing him to grow bigger. There was only one small button on the fly of his pajama bottoms that separated her face from his cock, and she wasted no time at flicking it open and pulling his hard member out.

John dipped a finger into her entrance and then pulled the wetness to circle her clit. He sighed at how turned on she was.

"Did the movie make you this wet, or me?" He asked looking down at her while she was stroking his dick.

"I was going to ask you the same thing? You're so hard." She replied as she flicked her tongue across his tip.

"The image of you sucking my cock may have flashed through my mind." He responded as he dipped a finger back inside her.

"Ohhhh, let me make that image a reality." She responded as she opened her mouth and took his length in.

"Ooooooh, god." He moaned at the feel of her hot mouth around him. He started thrusting his finger in and out of her while his other hand had gone to rest on her head that was bobbing up and down on him.

She pulled him out of her mouth and looked up at him. "Was this what you imagined?" She asked as she plunged her mouth back onto him.

“Oh god yesssss.” He hissed and threw his head back against the couch. He then pushed a second finger into her, making her moan, which caused her mouth to vibrate around him. He needed to cum, but he really wanted to be inside her when he did.

"Ahhhh Clara! I want to fuck you." He said as he removed his fingers and she whimpered at the loss.

"Good because I need to be fucked, hard."

She stood up and pulled her shirt off and John licked his lips at the sight of her naked body. She knelt on the couch, facing the back as she bent over with her ass sticking out. John got up, tore his pajama bottoms off, and was now standing behind her rubbing his hands over her smooth bottom. He ran a hand between her legs and could feel that she was still wet and ready for him. He grabbed his member and positioned it at her opening, then leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

"Are you ready for my cock Clara?"

He knew what the sound of her name did to her.

"So ready."

He thrusted into her so fast, that he didn't give her time to adjust. He then pulled out and did it again and again each time getting faster and faster, harder and harder.

"Oh god yes!" Clara screamed.

"You like the way my cock slams into your pussy?"

"So much.” She got more turned on hearing him speak that way.

He could tell she was enjoying it because her juices were dripping all around his cock. He had never felt her so wet and was glad that she was on the pill, so he could actually feel her hot flesh without the barrier of a condom. He wasn't going to last much longer, so he released his right hand from the vice like grip he had on her hip to rub her clit.

A couple of more hard pumps and Clara screamed John's name, which sent him over the edge and he exploded deep inside her. He pulled out of her before he slumped over and wrapped his arms around her. Both were panting heavily, so John flopped down on the couch bringing Clara with him.

“Wow, Mr. Smith. That was an amazing shag.” Clara said as she laid her head on John's chest, while lying on top of him.

“Thank you. I would have to agree.” He said as he stroked her back and kissed the top of her head. “Honestly Clara I've never felt you so turned on. I mean we've been shagging a lot and I didn't think it was possible for you to get wetter than what you normally do, but damn!”

Clara chuckled. “Well can I tell you one of my secret fantasies?”

“Of course. I want you to feel that you can share whatever you want with me. After all I am the man who can help make them come true.”

“It's just that I've never shared this with anyone.” She hesitated.

“How about I share first?”

“Okay.” She said and looked up at him.

“I would love it if you bossed me around during sex some time.” He said as he swept her hair out of her face.

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. Having you take charge and tell me everything you want me to do to you would be such a turn on.”

Clara could feel his flaccid member twitch against her thigh and could tell how much of a turn on it would be for him. It was also something that excited her too as it appealed to her control freak tendencies.

“I can feel.” She said as she placed a kiss on his chest.

“And you?” He asked as he ran a hand from her back down to squeeze her ass.

“I would love it if you tied me up and fucked me whatever way you wanted.” She said as she looked him in the eyes. She felt his shaft twitch again, so she knew he must have liked the idea.

“And I would very much like to do that because that's a fantasy of mine too.” He replied moving his second hand down to her ass and pulled her into him more. “Any more fantasies you want to share with the class, Miss Oswald?”

She could feel him getting hard again, so she sat up and straddled him on his thighs as she took his penis into her hand and started stroking him.

“Well there is one in particular I would love to do with you.” She said as she licked her lips and looked down at his now hard cock.

“Name it.” He whimpered.

Clara moved forward, lifting her hips to slowly bring herself down on John's erection. He groaned at the feel of her around him and right now she could ask to fuck on the moon and he would say yes.

“I would love to fuck you in your costume from the show.” She said as she started to slowly ride him.

“Ooohhh… you…ahhh…naughty girl.” He moaned with a wicked grin. “I like… ahhh… the waaayyy… oh fuck… you think."

Clara arched her back, changing the angle that John was penetrating her. He reached up and grabbed her breasts and started kneading them.

“Oh John! You feel so fucking good.” She exclaimed as she continued bouncing up and down.

“You too sweetheart.”

He moved his hands down to her hips and grabbed her so he could start meeting her thrusts. He was thanking whatever deity he could that this wonderful woman seemed to share his sexual desires and loved having sex as much as he did. He couldn't wait to experience some of these fantasies with her and the images dancing through his mind sent him over the edge in no time at all, bringing Clara with him.

"I think I can cancel my gym membership with the way your libido is." She said as she collapsed on top of him breathing heavily.

John laughed, "I'm just glad that I can keep up with you."

"Me? You’re the one who started this afternoon delight." She said as she moved off of him and stood up.

"The first time. But you're the one who made me hard again with your fantasies." He replied as he got up too and grabbed their clothes.

"Well, I look forward to making them come true." She said as she followed him upstairs and straight into the shower.

"Have I told you how much I love this shower? It's just so big." Clara said while she was shampooing her hair.

John stood under the water and admired the view, while he started to lather soap over his body. "Yeah, well it was built to share. It's nice to have someone to share it with again." He replied without thinking about what he had just said until he saw Clara's expression change.

"Oh shit Clara! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up my past like that, I just meant that it's nice to share it with you." He said as he pulled her in for a hug.

"I know, it's just hard to hear that you shared this shower with someone else." She pulled out of his embrace to rinse the shampoo out of her hair. "It's stupid that I feel a tinge of jealousy when you mention your ex, but I do."

John felt really bad now because he had no idea how she was going to react when he tells her that he's going to be working with River in a matter of weeks.

"You have nothing to be jealous about. River and I were a long time ago, and my feelings for her died the day I saw her shagging some bloke on our couch. That I don't own any more, by the way."

"But you were together for a long time, John. You shared things with her that you couldn't have possibly shared with me. I guess that's what I'm jealous of. She knows you in a way that I can only hope to know you one day."

"And you will, in time sweetheart." He kissed her forehead. "Now turn around and let me wash your back."

Clara wanted to ask him more about River but knew that the topic was closed as John had changed the subject. She was just so curious as to what he was like with her. Was he the same with his ex as he is with her, or was he a different man then? She hoped that one day he would be willing to open up a bit more about her, but for now she would have to take what she could get. Maybe when she got home later she might poke around on the Internet and see what she could find.

\-------

Clara and John had spent the rest of the day relaxing and having a lazy Sunday afternoon. Shortly after they had dinner, Clara headed home to plan out her week as she had to go back to work the next day after her vacation. John had wanted to come with her, but she knew with him around she wouldn't get much work done. Once she was home she spent a couple of hours lesson planning but was now having an internal debate as to rather or not she should try and see what she could find out about River on the Internet. She picked up the phone and decided to call Amy.

"Shouldn't you be lesson planning? Because I know I am." Amy said as she answered.

"I'm done." Clara responded.

"Well good for you. Do you want to come over and finish mine?" She asked.

"No, but I would like you to tell me why I shouldn't do something stupid."

"What now?" Amy responded.

"I was about to search for information on John's ex-wife." Clara told her.

"Why on earth would you do that?" She asked.

"Because John never wants to talk about her and I'm just curious about the woman who came before me."

"You’re jealous." Amy stated matter-of-factly.

"Of course I'm jealous! She's a beautiful woman, who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with."

"Oh Clara." Amy said. "You're in love."

"I'm not in love Amy. We've only been going out for less than two months." Clara denied.

"Doesn't matter. Who are you kidding Clara? You were in love with the idea of him long before you met him."

"I'll admit that my feelings are strong and that I can feel myself falling, but it's too soon to call it love."

"Whatever. Keep lying to yourself. You just don't want to say it because you're afraid that John's not there yet and that's what is driving you nuts about his ex-wife. You know he loved her, but you don't know for sure if he loves you. Despite the fact that all his actions tell you he does. Look, do yourself a favour and shut your computer off and go to bed."

"Well you're right that I should probably do that." Clara responded.

"I'm always right. Now go to bed and I'll see you tomorrow." Amy said as she hung up.

Clara set her phone down and stared at her monitor. Amy had made a very good point. She was in love with John, but she wasn't ready to admit that to anyone. She was afraid to tell John because she was afraid he might not be ready to say it back. Maybe if she did a quick image search, just to see if she could find a current photo of her it might make her feel better, especially if she hadn't aged well. She had already typed River's name into Google and all she had to do was hit enter. No harm could come of that, right? One little button was all she needed to push as her finger lingered above it. And finally, she did it.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Thanks for the kudos and to those that are sticking with me through this journey!

Clara found herself staring face to face, well face to computer monitor, at John's ex-wife. She was a beautiful woman with blondish red curly hair, gorgeous green eyes, full lips and a bosom to match. It looked like from all the images that she was the kind of woman that seemed to never age. Clara was scanning through them trying to see what was the most recent one, but she looked the same in all of them. Then she saw it, the reason she shouldn't have done this. There was a picture of River and John, clearly at a happier time in their lives as they were at some kind of fancy party and were staring very lovingly at each other. She couldn't take her eyes off the picture, off John. She knew that look. It was the same look he gives her. She was just about to click on the picture when the phone rang and brought her out of her hypnotic state.

"Hello." She said, answering it without looking at the caller ID.

"Hey beautiful." John replied cheerfully.

"Oh hey." Clara said sounding a little surprised to hear the voice of the man she was currently staring at.

"You okay?" He asked. "You sound a little off."

"Yeah, yeah. Fine." She replied as she shut her computer down, suddenly feeling guilty for what she had done. "I was just lesson planning, so I was distracted by Shakespeare."

"Well I won't keep you. I just wanted to say goodnight and tell you I miss you."

"Ahh, that's sweet, but how can you miss me when you spent the entire weekend with me and most of last week." She said as she chuckled and moved over to sit on her couch.

"I guess I got used to you being around." He said. "And my bed feels lonely."

"You are adorable, you know." She said, as she was starting to forget about the picture she had just looked at.

"That's what my girlfriend tells me." He responded.

Clara felt her heart skip a beat at the mention of him calling her his girlfriend. She didn't think she would ever getting tired of hearing that.

"Do you want to come over tomorrow?" She asked.

"I thought you said you couldn't see me until Friday night because you had too much to do with your first week back at work."

"Well your adorableness has made me change my mind. Plus, I have a feeling I could use a hug after I see Danny tomorrow." She said.

"You going to be okay tomorrow? You'll let me know if he's rude to you, okay." He said concerned.

"I'll be fine and I will. So, I'll see you tomorrow?" She said.

"Just try and keep me away." He responded.

The next day John met Donna for lunch at a restaurant close to his home. He was looking forward to spending some time with her, but not looking forward to the business that would inevitably have to be discussed. When he arrived, Donna was already sitting at a table and on the phone but ended her call once he sat down.

"I have to say John, getting sex on a regular basis looks good on you." She said as she put her phone aside.

"Donna! Keep your voice down." He whispered as he looked around to see if anyone heard her. "I don't need the whole restaurant knowing about my sex life."

"Oh no one cares." She responded. "You look happy and that's a good thing."

"I am. Clara's the best thing to happen to me in a long time." He said as he leaned forward. "And the copious amount of sex we are having is great too." He whispered with a huge grin.

"Eew, too much information!" She exclaimed.

"Hey you're the one who brought it up."

"Yes, but a regular basis and a copious amount provide two different visuals." Donna replied.

"Fine. So, shall we get the unpleasant business out of the way first." John asked, changing the subject.

"Yes." She slid an envelope of documents towards John. "That's your schedule for the first two episodes and the first script."

John took the envelope and started looking through the papers.

"You'll see that you have some promotion shoots next week, some of which will have to be with River, followed by a script read through the following week, and then some interviews the week after that. They're going to announce River as a special reoccurring character after the read though, but before the interviews, so you'll be able to tell Clara in about three weeks."

"Good because she's pretty much put two and two together that I'm not happy about a new addition to the show. Not to mention, she's slightly jealous of River, so if I'm not the one to tell her, it won't be good." John said.

"What could she possibly be jealous of River for? You have zero feelings for her." Donna said.

"She knows that, but it's more the past that we share that she's jealous of."

"Have you told her the details of your divorce and what she did to you?" Donna asked.

"No. Not the details, no. She knows that River cheated and that it was a nasty divorce, but I haven't been able to tell her more than that."

"You should. Look, you once loved River and Clara knows that. If you haven't said those words to her, then it's only natural for her to feel that way." Donna advised.

"You're right, maybe when I tell her about River joining the show, I'll open up about our relationship." John replied.

"If not sooner. Now if we're done talking about your love life can we talk about mine?"

The two continued their lunch talking about how well things were going in her relationship and by the time their meal was over Donna had invited John and Clara for dinner with her and Lee. They parted ways outside the restaurant and John noticed that Clara would almost be finished work. He was anxious to see her, so he decided to swing by the school and pick her up. If not for anything to make sure she didn't have any run ins with Danny.

Clara had just finished her last class of the day and she was just planning the lesson for the next day when a there was a knock on her door. She looked up expecting it to be Amy but saw that it was Danny.

"Ah, hi." He said nervously.

"Hi." Clara responded coolly.

"Uhm, can I come in?" He asked.

"Sure."

Danny entered and sat in a desk in front of Clara.

"I'm really sorry about the other night. I was still feeling hurt and lashed out at you and for that I apologise."

"Thanks, but you lashed out at John more than me. Not to mention you accused him of taking advantage of me, which couldn't be further from the truth. So, I'm not the only one you need to apologise to." Clara responded.

"I'm not going to say sorry to John." Danny replied. "I don't think that he's right for you and you belong with someone your own age."

At this moment John approached Clara's classroom and heard what Danny had said. He was about to walk in, but heard Clara start to speak.

"Why? Why do I belong with someone my own age? Because I should be with someone like you? Danny, I'm sorry I agreed to go out with you. I gave you hope and tried really hard for there to be something between us, but the truth is that I was never really attracted to you. And I know that it's hard for you to hear, but it's the truth and it's a truth I should have given you months ago." Clara said, trying to keep calm.

"Fine. But I still think you've made a mistake." Danny said as he got up from the desk.

John decided it was time to make his presence known and knocked on the doorframe. Clara looked over and was surprised to see him.

"Hey." He said, looking at Clara. "Am I interrupting something?" He asked turning to glare at Danny.

"Oh you interrupted something..." Danny started to say.

"Danny." Clara warned.

Danny looked at Clara and gave a sigh of defeat. "I was just leaving." He said as he walked out of the room.

Clara got up and walked over to give John a hug. He pulled her in tight and laid his head on top of hers.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. I just hate how badly I hurt him." She said as she pulled away and looked at him. "What are you doing here, by the way?"

"You said you felt like you were going to need a hug after today, so I'm here to hug you."

"You really are the sweetest boyfriend I've ever had." She replied as she leaned up and placed a soft slow kiss on his lips, which prompted John to wrap his arms around her and deepen the kiss. Both were so caught up in the moment that they hadn't realised Danny had lingered in the hallway and was now snapping pictures of them. He took off as soon as the couple stopped kissing.

"Okay tiger." Clara said as she slipped out of John's arms and grabbed her bag. "Take me home, before we do something inappropriate in this classroom."

John took her hand and led her out the door. "What no teacher fantasies, Miss Oswald? I could always be your handsome professor that you're trying to seduce for a good grade."

Clara playfully slapped him on the arm, "Maybe some other time, but now I'm hungry."

They went back to Clara's place, ate, had sweet and tender sex, and fell asleep in each other's arms, completely unaware of the trouble that was waiting for them the next day.


	27. Chapter 27

Clara woke up to an annoying buzzing sound.  She rolled over and slapped the offending alarm clock and then rolled back into John's arms. 

"You need to get up."  He said with his eyes still closed. 

"I know, just 5 more minutes.  I want to snuggle."  She replied. 

Just then John's phone rang, which was odd for that time of the morning.  He groaned and got out of bed to find his jeans, where his phone was in the pocket. 

"The universe doesn't want us to cuddle."  He said as he found his phone and saw that it was Donna. 

"Donna, what's going on?"  He asked a little worried. 

"A PR nightmare.  Where are you?"  She said frantically. 

"At Clara's.  Why?  What's going on?"  

"The Mirror has posted an article about you and Clara, and it's not in a flattering way.  I need you to get to my place now to sort out how we want to handle this."  She said and hung up. 

"What's going on?"  Clara asked as she sat up in the bed.   

John wanted to see the article first before he alarmed Clara.  He knew how she felt about being photographed and didn't want to upset her before she even got out of bed. 

"Why don't you shower and then I'll tell you once you're out."  He said as he pulled on his jeans. 

"No.  Something bad has happened and I want you to tell me now, John."  She said as she got out of bed and put her robe on. 

"Fine."  He knew her well enough by now to know not to argue with her.  "That was Donna.  An article was published in the Mirror today about us." 

"What?  Why?"  Clara said confused. 

John found the article on his phone.  There, for the whole world to see, was a picture of him and Clara kissing in her classroom followed by the headline, _Time Avengers Star a Sugar Daddy_.  He turned the phone towards Clara who took it and started reading. 

"What the bloody hell?!"  She exclaimed loudly.  "They know my name!  How the hell do they know my name?"   

John tried to take her into his arms to calm her down, but she was too furious for that.  She was pacing frantically around the room.   

"How did they get this?"  She said. 

"Look at the picture, Clara.  It's from yesterday."  John said. 

She looked at it and then looked at John, suddenly realising who would do such a heinous thing.  

"He wouldn't?"  She questioned. 

"Of course he did!  That picture was taken just after he left your room, which he clearly didn't do."  John replied. 

"I'm going to kill him."  Clara shouted as she slumped down on the bed.  John sat down next to her. 

"Look, I'm going to go talk to Donna and see what we can do and if there is any legal action I can take against him."  He wrapped an arm around Clara.  "I want you to be careful at work today, and absolutely under no circumstances, talk to him.  I know that you're angry and you likely want to give it to him, but don't.  And I mean that."  He said firmly. 

Clara sighed.  "Fine." 

\------ 

John dropped Clara off at school and then wasted no time in getting to Donna's.  She had already been in touch with his lawyer and was currently on the phone yelling at the editor from the Mirror.  John walked over to her coffee pot and poured a cup while he waited for her to get off the phone. 

“You will write a sodding retraction to that story.  In fact, I'm writing it for you now and if it's not published tomorrow and posted on your website immediately, you'll be hearing from our lawyer.”  And with the final word she hung up, not even waiting for a response. 

“Well sounds like you have everything under control.”  John said as he took a drink of his coffee. 

“Barely.”  Donna said as she ran her hands through her hair.  “I've got a handle on the story, but now we're going to have to do damage control.” 

“Okay.  Does it help any that I know who did this?”  John asked. 

 “Who?”  Donna replied.   

"Remember I told you about PE, the guy Clara was dating before me?"   

"Of course I do, but you know for sure it was him?"  She asked 

"One hundred percent."  John said, as he explained why to Donna. 

"What a knob!"  Donna exclaimed.  "Do you want me to contact the lawyer and see what we can do?  We might be able to scare him with a slander suit.  Lord knows I already threatened the paper with libel." 

"Yeah.  Clara's tried to be straight with him, but he clearly isn't getting the message."   

"How is she?" 

"Angry and hurt.  I told her to stay away from him today and I'm going to go pick her up after work.  May try and find him and have a word, man to man with him."  John divulged. 

"Just don't do anything stupid."  Donna pled. 

"I won't.  Or at least I will try very hard not to."  He promised.  "So, what do I need to do for damage control?" 

"Well you're going to hate this, but you two are going to have to make some public appearances together, which means you're going to need to be seen in places where the paparazzi are and attend some parties."  Donna replied. 

"Alright."  John sighed.  There was nothing he hated more than going to posh restaurants and stuck up industry parties, watching people kiss up to whomever was the new hot ticket in the entertainment industry. 

"Good because I made you a reservation at Nobu for Thursday night."  Donna added. 

"Great."  John said dryly.  If he didn't hate PE before, he really hated in him now. 

\------------- 

When Clara got to work in the morning she went straight to her classroom, trying her best to avoid people.  It was bad enough that she had to face her students, who more than likely had seen the article, but to have to face the other teachers was unbearable.  She had been in her room for fifteen minutes when Amy walked in. 

"You okay?  I saw the Mirror."  She asked. 

"No, I'm not okay."  Clara replied as she banged her head on her desk. 

"Who would do this to you?" 

"I'll give you one guess, Amy."  Clara responded. 

"Not Danny?"  Amy questioned. 

"Yes, Danny!  He came by my room yesterday to apologise, but not really as it turned into the same crap as Saturday night.  So, I was straight with him and told him I should have never dated him because I was trying to force something that wasn't there.  John showed up and we thought that he had left but clearly, he didn't.   It couldn't be more obvious that he took the picture and then spread lies about us to the Mirror." 

"Wanker!"  Amy exclaimed.  "I'm sorry I ever told you to go out with him." 

"Yeah.  Anyway, class is going to start in a bit and I need to get ready."  Clara said. 

"Okay.  I'll see you at lunch."  Amy responded. 

Amy left and Clara started writing notes on the chalkboard.  The first of her students started to arrive and thankfully no one said anything.  That was until Courtney Woods arrived.  Leave it to “the disruptive influence” to be the one to bring it up. 

“Oi Miss.  Saw you in the news today.  Surprised you haven't quit now that you have a famous ol’ dodger for a boyfriend.”  Courtney said as she was the last to enter class.  She achieved the desired effect as the rest of the students chuckled. 

“Sit down Courtney.”  Clara stated sternly.  “Now, before anyone else gets any bright ideas, let me make myself clear.  This topic will not be discussed and what I do in my personal life is no business of this class or anyone else in the school.  So the next person who wants to make a remark about an article in a tabloid paper, will find themselves at the principal's office.  Understood?” 

The class agreed and the morning went by without any issues.  At lunch she decided to call John and see how it was going with him. 

“Hey beautiful.”  He said as he answered the phone, immediately bringing a smile to her face.  “I was just about to call you.” 

“Well I beat you to it.”  She replied.  “How are things going with Donna?” 

“Good.  She's been in damage control mode all morning.  How are you?  Any trouble?” 

“Just a lippy student, but I put an end to that quickly.”  She replied.  

“Good.  And Danny?”  He questioned. 

“Haven't seen him.”  She answered, just as Amy entered her room.  “Hey, Amy just walked in so I should go.” 

“Okay.  Give Amy my best and I'll see you in a few hours.” 

They ended their call.  Amy sat down and filled Clara in on what was happening in the staffroom.  For the most part, only the people who hadn't seen the couple at Amy's party were talking about it, but it was in the Mirror so people knew that often their stories were rubbish.  But that didn't matter to Clara because what bothered her the most was that people were gossiping about her relationship, making assumptions about it.  She was a private person who hated having her business known, which might lead some to question why someone so private would date someone so famous, but you can't control what the heart wants.  This just made her angrier at Danny for bringing her love life into the light and all she wanted to do was go and give him a piece of her mind but she knew the things she wanted to say to him were not appropriate at work.  Instead she looked at the clock and saw there was about fifteen minutes left of lunch so she decided she was going to go to the staffroom and at least try and put an end to the talk. 

“Come on Amy.”  She said as she got up. 

“Where’re we going?”  Amy asked as she followed Clara out. 

“To put an end to the gossip.” 

Clara and Amy entered the staffroom and immediately everyone stopped talking and looked at them.  If there had been a record player in the room, you would have surely heard the music stop with a scratch of the album.   

“Alright.”  Clara said in her teacher voice.  “What do you want to know?  I know you've all been talking about me, so instead of making your bloody assumptions, ask me.” 

She was met with silence.  Everyone was looking around the room trying to dart their eyes away from Clara. 

“Come on now!”  She demanded. 

Finally one of the newer teachers meekly said something from the corner.  “Is it true?” 

“Is what true?”  Clara demanded. 

“Are you really dating John Anderson?” 

“Yes.”  She answered not elaborating. 

“What's he like?”  The same teacher asked.   

“Pardon?”  Clara was caught of guard and not sure what the woman was asking. 

“It's just that I love Time Avengers and I always wanted to meet him, so it's cool that he's your boyfriend.” 

Clara was not expecting that at all.  She expected everyone to be talking about the article and how she was only using John for his money. 

“Oh. Well John's really great.”  She replied. 

“How did you meet him?”  Another teacher added. 

“Ah, at a pub, technically.”  She wasn't going to divulge any more information than just that.  

“Look I know that you're all curious about my new relationship, but I really don't want to talk about it."  Clara answered and then gave a huge sigh.  “I know he's famous, but I just want everyone to treat this as if he were a normal ordinary guy, which he really is." 

She turned to leave and just as she reached the door Danny walked in.  She looked at him with such disgust and disdain, but she couldn't walk out without saying something. 

“You should be ashamed of yourself."  She said as she poked him in the chest with her finger.  "I thought you were a decent man who had high morals, but I can see now that I misjudged you.”  Clara walked out, not giving him a chance to respond.  Amy followed her and glared at Danny as she walked past. 

“Wanker.”  She said under her breath when she got close enough for only him to hear. 

Amy congratulated Clara on setting things straight and gave her a hug before she went back to her classroom.  When Clara got back to hers she took a few moments to calm herself down before she had to start teaching again.  She just couldn't believe that Danny would be capable of such a thing.  She had really thought that he was the kind of person that would always do the right thing, but she couldn't have been more wrong. 

\---------- 

John had gone a little earlier to pick up Clara in hopes of having a word with Danny before he met her.  When he arrived at the school he had used his charm to get his classroom information from the office administrator.  It was pretty easy since she was a fan of his show and was completely awe struck when he walked in.  The bell had just rung and John waited for the last student to leave before he entered his class.  Danny didn't see him at first because he was erasing the board, but then suddenly noticed him as John shut the door behind him. 

"Sod off."  Danny said as he turned to see John standing at the door. 

"Not until you and I have a word."  John replied. 

"I have nothing to say to you."  Danny answered as he looked down at some papers on his desk and started shuffling them. 

"Fine, then you'll listen to me."  John replied harshly.  "I know this stunt you pulled was meant to hurt me, but who it really hurt was Clara.  And she is a sweet, kind woman who doesn't deserve this kind of attention." 

"If she doesn't want this kind of attention then she shouldn't date a washed up, has been celebrity."  Danny replied smugly. 

"A what?!"  John said raising his voice.  "Do you even know the meaning of that, you knob?  Because the last time I checked I am the star of a very successful TV show." 

"Sure now, but you weren't before.  Don't you think I researched you when you started dating Clara?  Who's the bloody knob now?"  Danny replied. 

"Pretty sure it's still you."  John answered. 

"Oh for fuck sakes!  I read all about your divorce and how you cheated on your ex, driving her into the arms of another man.  It's just a matter of time before you leave Clara for someone younger than her."  Danny yelled.  "I did what I did, so that she would see it sooner rather than later!" 

John had heard all he wanted to hear.  It took every ounce of strength he had to not beat PE into a bloody pulp.  He grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him against the blackboard, pinning him there with his arm. 

"You don't know a fucking thing about my divorce, so wipe that smug smile off your face."  John growled and pushed on Danny a little harder.  "Clara has made her decision and I'm sorry that you can't accept it, but this ends today.  If another story like this appears in any media rag, I'll know where it came from and believe me I won't hesitate at suing your arse for slander." 

John let Danny go and moved over towards the door. 

"What kind of future can the two of you have?  She's young and has so much life to live!  She deserves to have a family and how can she have that with you?"  Danny yelled. 

John turned around and faced Danny.  "What she and I will have is none of your business.  I'm serious Danny, stay out of this and just move the fuck on." 

John walked out and headed down the hall to Clara's room.  When he got there, he knocked on the doorframe to get her attention.  She looked up and gave him a big smile. 

"Hi."  She said, as she got up and grabbed her bag. 

John pulled her into a tight embrace.  “I feel like I haven't seen you in ages.” 

“I know.”  She hugged him a little tighter and suddenly felt the weight of the day dissolve away. 

John broke the embrace and slid his hand into hers and led her out of the room.   

“Let's get you home.  We'll grab some take away and I'll tell you all about the fun things Donna has planned for us.”  He said with a hint of sarcasm.  “Hope you don't have many plans in the coming days because you and I have a lot of dates to go on.” 

She quirked an eyebrow at him.  “Will it make things better?” 

“Hopefully.”  He said as they left the building.  He really did hope it would be, but in the back of his mind he still had the whole River issue to deal with and he had no idea how Clara was going to react to that.  Life.  It was never a simple thing. 


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the comments and encouragement! You are the best!

Clara was getting ready for her first real “public” date with John.  On Tuesday when they had gotten back to her flat, John had explained how they needed to make some appearances at places where the paparazzi would be.  It didn't make any sense to her that the only way to put this tabloid nightmare behind them was to be seen by the tabloid journalists.  John agreed that it was a nutter idea but this was how the industry worked and that Donna had said that the story had gotten the life it did because they hadn't been seen in public together, which Clara guessed made some sense.  So now she found herself staring at three possible dress choices, not sure which one would be appropriate.  She was deep in contemplation when a knock came to her door.  She looked at the clock to see that she still had another hour and a half before John had said he would pick her up, so she had no idea who it was.  She grabbed her black satin robe and put it on as she walked to the door.  

“I like this look, but might not be good for dinner.”  John said as he took in the sight of Clara when she opened the door.  

“You're early.”  She said as she opened the door wider to let him in.

“I know.”  He said as he walked in and gave her a quick kiss.  “I thought you might need some help getting ready.”

“So you're a fashion expert now.  Because no offence, I've seen your weekend trousers and they look like pajamas.”

“Hey!  I happen to love those.”  He said, pretending to be offended.  

Clara chuckled and walked into her room as he followed her.  “Okay Paul Smith, which dress do I wear?”

“No idea.”  He said as he pulled out his cellphone and took a photo of her dresses and sent it to Donna.  “But Donna will.”

Clara smiled at him.  “Thanks.”  She said.  “I really had no clue.”

“Well for the record I think any of these would be fine.  Hell, you could wear a paper bag and it would be sexy as fuck.”  Just then his Facetime notification rang.  

“Hey.”  He said to Donna as he answered it.

“Hey.  I assume Clara is there.”  She said.  John turned the phone so she could see her.

“Hi Donna.”

“Hi.  How you doing?”  She asked.

“Glad you're going to help me.  So, which one do you think?”

“Well they're all pretty, but I need to see them on.  Do you mind modeling them for me?”

“Not at all.”  Clara responded as John turned the phone back around to face him, but instead of looking at the camera, he was watching Clara, who had just slipped her robe off and was standing next to the bed in a lacey black thong and nothing else.

“Now how am I supposed to go to dinner knowing that's what you're wearing underneath your dress.”  He said. 

“Down tiger.  Dessert will come later.”  She replied as she tried the first dress on, a black knee length cocktail dress with spaghetti straps.

“Guys!  I may not physically be in the room, but I can still hear you and see the drool practically dripping from John's mouth."

John looked at the camera to speak to Donna.  “Sorry, I can't help it she's just so beautiful.  See.”  He turned the camera towards Clara now that she was fully dressed.

“Oh, that's lovely Clara.”  Donna said as she twirled for her to see the whole dress. “Okay, next one.”

They repeated this with the next two dresses until it was decided that Clara should wear the first one.  She thanked Donna for her help and John said he would call her the next day to report how it went. 

Clara was now standing at her closet hanging the last dress up before she put the first one back on.  John came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her pulling her back into him, so she could feel what her little fashion show had done to him.  He began sucking on her neck and Clara couldn't help but tilt her head to give him better access.

“Don't we have a reservation to make?”  She asked as John was now snaking one hand up to massage her breast and the other down towards the top of her panties.

“We've got time.  The car won't be here for another hour.”  He replied as he slid his hand between the fabric and her flesh. Clara couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips as John's fingers slid between her folds. 

"Hmm, you're wet." He whispered into her ear.

"Yeah, and you're hard."  She replied as she wiggled her butt against his cock.

"That's what your little fashion show did to me."  He said as he started circling her clit with his finger, causing Clara to moan in pleasure.

She leaned back on him as her legs were becoming weak.  John took the opportunity to turn her around and press her up against the wall as he started kissing her passionately.  Clara's hands flew to his shirt and began unbuttoning it, pulling it out once she reached the top of his trousers, where she immediately began undoing his belt buckle.  John pulled his mouth away and moved his attention down to her perky breasts.  

Clara had managed to get his trousers and pants pushed down his legs and was now stroking his hard cock. John couldn't take it any longer.  He needed to feel her wetness around him, so he grabbed her panties and tore the lacy material away from her body. He grabbed her firm butt and lifted her up to position his cock at her entrance.  They both moaned as he finally slid into her hot wet core and began pounding into her against the wall.  Clara wrapped her legs around his waist and held onto his shoulders.  John was kissing her neck in the spot that he knew Clara loved.

“Oh fuck John! Your cock feels so good inside me.”  Clara exclaimed.

 Clara couldn't help but find it incredibly hot that she was being fucked against her bedroom wall while she was completely naked and John still had his clothes on.  There was something carnal about it perhaps because John had all the control and she liked the idea of someone else having that power over her.  She never thought she would but perhaps it just took the right partner.

John was fucking her hard and fast and Clara wasn't going to last much longer and could tell that he was feeling the same.

“Oh god John!”  She moaned.  “Come for me baby!  I want to feel your cock explode in my wet pussy.” 

That was all John needed to hear to send him over the edge and to bring Clara with him as both screamed their release.  He slowly pulled out and eased her back down to the floor.

“Oh wow.”  He said as he gave her a soft kiss on the lips while he ran his hands down her arms.  “Thanks for that.”  

“Any time tiger.”  Clara said as she winked at him.  “But I feel that I should be thanking you.  I rather enjoyed that.”

“Well play your cards right Miss Oswald and there might be more of that tonight.”  He replied as he pulled his trousers up.  “Do you mind if I go get cleaned up?”

“Go ahead.  I need to find another thong to wear since those are now destroyed.”  She said as she pointed to the torn material on the floor.

“Sorry about that.”  He yelled from the bathroom.  “I'll buy you a new pair or better yet I'll buy you a dozen since I feel there might be more opportunities in the future for me to rip them off.”

The two got cleaned up and redressed just in time for the driver to pick them up.  John escorted Clara out to the car and could tell from her fidgeting that she was nervous.  Once they were in the back seat he reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

“It's going to be okay sweetheart.  We're just going to get out of the car and go in and eat.  Before you know it, we’ll be back at your flat continuing what we started earlier.”  He smiled and gave her a wink trying his best to put her at ease.  

“I know.  Just don't let go of my hand.”  She said.

“Never.”  He replied as he brought it up to his lips and placed a soft gentle kiss on her knuckles.

They arrived at the restaurant and sure enough there was a hoard of photographers outside it.  John got out of the car first and went around to the other side to open the door and help Clara out.  She took John's hand and smiled at him as she exited the car gracefully.  She kept her focus on John trying not to get distracted by the flashes and shouting from the paparazzi.  John kept his word and didn't let go of her hand as they walked towards the entrance.  Once they were inside, Clara let out a sigh, not aware that she had been holding her breath.  

"You okay?"  John asked.

"Yeah, that was just a little more intense than I imagined."

"Well you did great."  He said as he leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. 

They were escorted to their table and Clara couldn't help but take in the atmosphere.  It looked like the kind of place that posh rich people would come to dine on fine Asian cuisine.  Dim lighting, plush green chairs, and fancy place settings adorned each table.  They were sat at a table that was a little off to the side, but still close enough to see who was in the restaurant.

"Wow."  She said as she sat across from John facing out to the dining room.  "I've always wanted to come here but felt that it was way out of my league."

"You should never feel that way, but I get it."  He replied.  "I feel out of my league here.  I'd much rather order sushi in and eat with you at my house.  But if there is ever a restaurant you want to try, let me know and I will happily take you there."  He reached for her hand and started caressing it with his thumb.

The waiter came and took their drink order, which John decided they could likely use a bottle to help them get through the evening.  Once the waiter was gone, the two slipped into their usual comfortable conversation.

"So how was your day?  Any run ins with PE?"  John asked.

"Nah.  He seems to be keeping his distance."

"Well that's good.  And how are the other teachers?"  

"More curious about you."  She smiled at him.  "It would seem one of the new teachers is a big fan of the show and you, so she was full of questions."

"Well she sounds like she has great taste."  He joked.

The two continued their conversation throughout dinner and John had to admit it wasn't so bad being at the fancy upscale restaurant.  It was much different being here with Clara than it was with River.  River had always been about being seen and spent most of the time they were out focused on seeing who else was there than actually having a conversation with him.  With Clara, it felt like no one else was there except for the two of them.  

Once their meal was over, Clara excused herself to go to the ladies' room, while John ordered dessert for the two of them to share.  As she pushed the door open, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of the woman applying lipstick in the mirror.  River Song.  What the bloody hell was she doing here?  Didn’t she live in Los Angeles now?  She was completely frozen on the spot and luckily River hadn't noticed her staring at her.  She pushed all these thoughts aside and walked past her and entered a stall.  She went about her business and when she came out River was still there.  Clara couldn't help but glance at her in the mirror as she washed her hands, trying her best to keep her cool.  This was a woman who knew John just as intimately as she did and she couldn't help but feel jealous.  Should she tell him his ex-wife is here or should she just try and get him to leave before they see each other?  How would he react if he sees her?  Would he want to talk to her? Her head was spinning and she needed to get away from River, so she finished washing her hands and walked out, leaving her there still touching up her makeup. 

By the time she made it back to the table, she had decided it was likely best to tell John about his ex.  She sat down and John could immediately tell that there was something wrong.

"Everything okay?"  He questioned.

"Sure."  She said.  "Uh."  She hesitated.  "It's just that while I was in the loo, I saw River."

"What?!  River, as in my ex-wife?"  He exclaimed, not quite believing what Clara had just said.  He started looking around and finally spotted her as she came out of the women's washroom and unavoidably made eye contact with her.  

"Damn it."  He said.  "I should have known."

"Should have known what?"  Clara asked, a little confused.  But before John could answer, River was now standing at their table.

"Hello sweetie."  River said to John.  Clara couldn't help but feel a knot in her stomach at the term of endearment aimed at her boyfriend.

"River."  John said tersely.  If ever there was a moment for the universe to open up and swallow him whole, it would be now.  


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, let's find out what happens next...

Clara couldn't help but feel intimidated by the woman standing before her.  She was nothing like Clara, and it made her wonder what John possibly saw in her, if this was a woman he once wanted to spend his life with.  She also couldn't stop thinking about his comment when he saw her.  He didn't seem surprised to see the woman who was supposed to be living an ocean away.  River had now turned her attention towards her and was eyeing her up, clearly assessing if she was worthy enough to spend time in the company of John Anderson.  Once her analysis was complete, she turned back to John.

"Are you going to introduce me to your little friend?"

"No."  John said.  He really wanted her to go away.

River turned to Clara and extended her hand.  "I'm River Song."

"Clara."  She said as she shook River's hand.

"Lovely to meet you dear.  Are you the one that was pictured in the Mirror with John?"  She asked.  "Because I have to say, if you're looking for a sugar daddy there are far better men here you could set your sights on."

"River."  John said sternly.  "Clara is my girlfriend and someone who is very important to me, so I don't appreciate you making comments like that."

"Seriously?  She's your girlfriend?  John she's just a child.  What could you possibly have in common with someone so young?"

"Well of anyone should know the answer to that question, it would be you River."  John retorted.  He had had about enough of this conversation and wanted to leave, so he flagged down the waiter who quickly approached the table.

"I'm sorry, but we need to go.  Could you possibly bring the bill and box up our dessert?" He asked the waiter, who agreed and left to get the requested items.

"Must you really rush off John?  I was here with my agent, but I could send her on her way and we could catch up."

"Clara and I have much better things to do tonight than spend it with you."  John said hoping she would understand what those things were.

“Oh I wasn't suggesting she join us.”  She said as she gestured towards Clara.  “I thought you could send her home and we stay and have a drink.  After all isn't it a school night?”

Clara had had enough.  John was about to say something, but she spoke before he had a chance.

“You know I'm right here and I don't appreciate being talked about as if I'm not.  As John said we need to get home so we can finish this date the way it started, if you know what I mean.”

Thankfully the waiter arrived, handing John the bill and dessert.  John looked at it and threw more than enough money on the table.  He stood up and offered his hand to Clara, which she took as she rose.  The two had just stepped away from the table when River spoke.

“And by home do you mean the one he and I shared?”

John turned and glared at her to the point that one might have thought his fierce eyebrows were going to leap from his face and slap his ex across the face.  He turned back and lead Clara out to the front where the maitre'd called for their car.  Once they stepped outside both made sure to smile as they made their way to the waiting vehicle. 

"I'm really sorry about that."  John said as the car drove off.

"Not your fault."  Clara replied as she stared out the car window.   She really wasn't sure what to make of what had just happened, but she knew she wanted to get to the bottom of John's statement.  "What did you mean when you said you should have known?"

"Pardon?"

"When I told you that I saw River in the loo and then you saw her.  You said, I should have known.  Why should you have known?  She lives in L.A. , so how could you have known she might be there.  Unless you knew she was in town."  Clara questioned him.

Damn it.  How was he supposed to explain this without telling Clara the truth?  He looked down at his lap and ran his hand through his hair, as he started thinking.  Screw the sodding BBC, he needed to tell her the truth.

"I can explain, but not here.  Once we get back to your place I'll tell you everything."  He said as he reached for her hand.

"Fine."  She said.

They didn't talk for the rest of the car ride and John was starting to feel uneasy about how this conversation was going to go.  Clara, on the other hand, had started putting the pieces together and was pretty sure what John was going to tell her.  Once they stepped into her flat, Clara tossed her bag on the floor and kicked off her shoes before walking into the kitchen.  John wasn’t sure what to do so he just followed her.

"Scotch or tea?"  She said as she opened her cupboard.

"I think scotch might be the way to go."  John said as he grabbed some glasses.

"That's what I thought." 

Clara poured the drinks and then picked up the bottle along with her glass and walked into the living room.  John followed her and the two sat down on the couch.

"Okay.  Explain."  Clara said.

John inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh.  The only way to do this was to just pull the band-aid off and get it out there.  "River is doing a guest spot on Time Avengers this season."

It was exactly what Clara had pieced together in the car.  It made perfect sense and why didn't she see it sooner.  She didn't respond right away, which began to make John worry.

"I'm really sorry that I couldn't tell you."

Clara felt angry.  Part of her understood why he didn't tell her, but another part of her wished he would have said screw it to the contract and trusted her to not say anything to anyone.  This was far bigger than him being worried about working with an actor he didn't like.  It was his sodding ex-wife!

"Do you not trust me?"  She asked.

"Of course, I do!"  John said, surprised that she would say that.

"Then why not just tell me the truth and trust that I would have kept the secret?"

"Trust has nothing to do with it Clara.  I am bound by a contract that prevents me from disclosing certain information about the show, I thought you understood that."

"Screw your bloody contract!  This is information that affects not just you, but us!"

"I know!  How do you think I felt?  I find out this news and the producers tell me that I can't tell anyone, not even the woman I'm seeing.  It was hell for me, Clara!   It still is.  I've been trying to come to terms with the fact that I have to head to Cardiff soon and she's going to be there, for the next 9 months!  You have no idea what that woman has done to me!"

"Of course, I don't because you've told me nothing about your divorce John.  All I know is that she's a woman that at one point in your life, was the most important thing.  I know what I've read in the tabloids, but I want to hear it from you!"

John took a deep breath and stood up to start pacing the floor.  How did they get to this point?  The last thing he wanted was to fight with Clara over something so stupid.

"Fine!  Do you want to hear how she destroyed me?  How I loved her more than anything in this world and she just ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped all over it?  How that wasn't enough for her so she decided to drag my name through the mud?"  John yelled.

"Yes!  I want to hear this!  I want you to feel that you can share things with me, not just the good things, but the bad things too!"  Clara stood up and walked over to him.  "You had your heart broken and I get that, but you have me now and you don't have to go through this alone."

John looked at her and could see tears forming in her eyes and he hated that he was the reason she was upset now.  He took her into his arms and was relieved when she wrapped her arms around him. 

"You're right and I'm sorry."  He said as he placed a kiss on her head.  "I just didn't want you to think differently of me if you knew the details of my divorce."

Clara took him by the hand and led him back to the couch.  The two sat down again, but this time Clara sat next to him with her body turned into his. 

"Do you think I care for you so little that telling me would make a difference?"  She said. "Now tell me, what happened."

"After I caught River cheating, I was devastated.  I got angry and fought with the bloody pillock, who thankfully didn't press charges.  River of course was trying to explain and tell me it was a one-time lapse in bad judgement, which I later found to not be true.  She had been carrying on with this guy for about 6 months, while I was up north shooting a TV series."  John reached for his scotch to take a drink before he continued.  

"I'm sorry John."  Clara said.

"It wasn't you who did it, so don't ever apologise for what I went through."  He replied.  "That night I was so angry that I left the house and went to a bar, where I made the stupid mistake of getting drunk and going home with some woman I met that night.  The next day when I woke up, she was still asleep so I snuck out without even saying goodbye.  I was so drunk I barely remembered anything about that night, but of course it would come back to bite me in the arse later."  He felt ashamed and couldn't look Clara in the eye.  Clara could see this so she took her hand and placed it on his cheek turning his head to her.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of John.  People do stupid things like that all the time."

"Oh sure, but the difference is that I'm famous.  Granted I wasn't as famous as I am now, but the woman still knew who I was and she was pissed that I left the way I did.  So, when River hired a detective to find dirt on me for the divorce, it was easy for her to find this woman and convince her to lie.  You see, River wanted to take me for all my money and the only way she was going to do that was if I had cheated first.  She convinced her to tell the tabloids that we had been having an affair for over a year and as soon as she did River claimed that her infidelity was the result of mine and thanks to the fight I had with her boy toy she added a violent temper as well.  Of course she would tell the story to whatever media rag would listen and before long I was being made out to be the villain.  The show I was working on at the time dropped me and I thought my acting career was over.”

“I had no idea it was that bad.  I had seen some of the stories but just that you had cheated on her, which I had never wanted to believe.”

“Yeah,  luckily it was all proven to not be true when we went to court and Donna did a good job of getting most of the stories retracted, but the damage was done.  River left with the young man to start her new life in Hollywood and I was left with nothing.”

“What an absolute cunt.”  Clara said.

“That's one word for her.  I had a few more that I liked to use as well.  But she wasn't always like that.  I think she just let the idea of being famous consume her to the point that she lost who she was and turned into someone else.  It's why I was so hurt and devastated when this all happened.  I slipped into a pretty big depression and had a really hard time getting out of it, but thanks to Donna I eventually did.”

“Remind me to thank Donna the next time I see her.”  Clara said.  John smiled at her.

“She just never gave up on me.  She allowed me time to mourn the loss of the woman I loved and then pushed me to get back out there and do auditions, which led to me landing Time Avengers.  This show was a big turning point in my life and it hurt that the producers thought it would be a good idea to bring her into it.”

Clara grabbed John's arm and draped it around her shoulder so she could snuggle next to him and wrap her arms around his middle.  She wasn't entirely sure what to say to him but felt that a hug was definitely needed.

“I know that was difficult for you to share, but thank you.”  She glanced up at him before continuing.  “And just so you know, I could never think badly of you, well unless you kill someone.  You haven't killed anyone have you?”  she said trying to lighten the mood a bit. 

“I don't think so.”  He laughed.

“Good.”  She smiled at him.  “I want you to feel that you can always share things with me, regardless of how bad you think it is.  Because most times it's far worse in your head than in reality.”

“Ok boss.”  He said as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

“Now as for River, I don't care about the bloody BBC and the daft producers.  Please tell me what's going on and trust that the things you tell me, stay with me.”

“I promise.  I’m sorry for not telling you before.”  He replied.

Clara leaned up and placed a slow gentle kiss on John's lips. There was no question in her mind, she was in love with this man, but it was clear that it was going to take time for him to say those words.  And now she knew why.

They pulled away from each other and John caressed her cheek.  Clara smiled at him and he smiled back.

“I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm glad I found you Clara Oswald.”  John said.

“I'm glad you found me too.”  She said.  “Now where's that dessert?  I'm dying to try it." 

"I'll grab it."  John said as he got up and walked into the kitchen.

"Okay.  I'm just going to go get into something more comfortable."  Clara took this opportunity to go to her room and take a moment to compose herself.  She didn't think any less of John for his past actions, but it was a lot to take in.  He had been through a lot and now he had to work with the one person who had caused him that pain.  Worse yet, Clara was pretty sure that River had her sights on getting John back.  Something that John was probably pretty oblivious to and most definitely not interested in happening, but she couldn't help but feel uneasy about how desperate River was to get John alone tonight.  She trusted him more than anything, but there was no way in hell she would ever trust his ex-wife.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay guys, but thank you so much for the comments.

After John and Clara had their dessert from the restaurant John suggested that maybe he should go home and give Clara some space to digest everything he had just unloaded on her, but she insisted he stay. She told him that she didn't need the space, but rather felt that she needed nothing more than to fall asleep in his arms. Clara woke up the next day and wanted nothing more than to call in sick and spend the day with him, but he told her she only had eight hours to get through and then they could spend the whole weekend together. He walked her to work and then made his way over to Donna's to fill her in on what happened the night before.

  
"Come in." Donna said as she opened the door. "I've been dying to hear how the night went."

  
"Good, then not good, then more not good, and then good again." John said as he flopped down on her couch.

  
"Explain." She said as she took a seat in the chair opposite him.

  
"We got to the restaurant, posed for pictures, and had a lovely meal. For once, I was actually enjoying myself at one of these fancy restaurants. That was until Clara went to the loo and came back to tell me River was there."

  
"No!" Donna exclaimed.

  
"Yes. I started looking around for her and stupidly made eye contact, which she took as an invitation to come over to the table and throw insults at Clara and our obvious age difference." John continued with the story.

  
"She's one to talk!" Donna added.

  
"That's what I said. Anyway, we left the restaurant and went back to Clara's where I told her everything."

  
"What do you mean everything?" Donna asked slightly concerned.

  
"I mean, everything. She knows all about my divorce and she knows that River is going to be on the show next season."

  
"John! How could you tell her?" Donna cried out.

  
"How could I not?! Donna, she knew something was up before tonight and after I saw River, it was easy for her put two and two together. She was hurt that I didn't trust her enough to tell her before and she was right. I should have trusted her and told her sooner, but instead I listened to the bloody producers.”

  
"Which is your job." Donna said. "Look I'm not condoning what you did, but I understand why you did it. Just be careful, I'm begging you."

  
"Always." John replied.

  
“And how are things between the two of you now?” Donna asked, feeling a little less angry.

  
“Good. I feel as if a weight has been lifted that I actually didn't know I was carrying.”  
“Well I'm glad that you feel better.” Donna replied. “So getting back to the task of why you were out, I saw in the mirror today that there was a small photo and blurb written about you being spotted and looking happy.”  
“Well that's good.” John replied.

  
“Yeah. Now I think you just need to take Clara to the BBC party next Saturday and then all will be fine.”

  
“What party?” John asked.

  
“Damn. Sorry. In all the commotion of the article I forgot to tell you about the change in your schedule. They've moved every thing up a bit.” Donna said.

  
“How much?” He asked, afraid of what the answer would be.

  
“Photoshoot is going to be on Monday, script read through on Wednesday, then the BBC is having a party to announce River as a guest star and to kick of the production and promotion of the new season.”

  
“Bloody hell Donna! I thought I had more time to work with the script.” John complained.  
“I said I was sorry, okay.”

  
“Fine. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend.” John replied.

  
“Uh, there's one more thing.” Donna added.  
“What?”

  
“They're moving up the date that you're going to start shooting.” Donna said quickly.  
“Ooh you're just the bearer of good news today aren't you!” He replied sarcastically.

  
“Again I'm sorry. But you knew you were going to have to leave soon anyway. It's just that soon is two weeks instead of four.” Donna apologised.

  
“Great.” John said sadly and threw his head back on the couch.

  
“I have to say what a difference a couple of months makes.” Donna said. John lifted his head and looked at her.

  
“Two months ago this show was your everything and you always looked forward to getting back to work. Now you're disappointed to be heading back. She's really become part of your life.”

  
“She has Donna. She really has.”  
\--------------  
John stayed and chatted some more with his friend before heading back to his house. He had decided while he was at Donna's that he wanted to do something nice for Clara in order to break the news to her about his schedule change. He had sent her a text asking her to come to his place after work. He was currently putting the finishing touches on everything when his doorbell rang.

  
“Hi beautiful.” He said as he answered the door, giving Clara a quick kiss.

  
“Hi.” She said, setting her bag down and entering the house. “Smells good. What are you cooking?”

  
“Chicken parmesan.” He replied as he walked into the kitchen to pour some wine. Clara followed him and happily accepted the glass.

  
“I could get used to this, I have to say.” She said as she took a sip.

  
“Get used to what?”

  
“Coming home to a handsome man, a glass of wine, and dinner in the oven.” She said, which made John smile and quirk an eyebrow at her. She then realised the implication of her statement.

  
“Oh bollocks, I didn't mean… you know… I just meant that..” She stammered.

  
John laughed and gave her a quick kiss. “It's okay sweetheart. I know what you meant, but the thought is lovely.”

  
Clara relaxed and took a seat at the island as John checked on dinner.

  
“Should only be about ten minutes.” John said as he took a seat next to Clara. “So, I got some news today that isn't going to make you happy."

  
"What?" She asked concerned.

  
"I have to leave for Cardiff in two weeks." He said.

  
"Nooo!" She exclaimed. "That's two weeks sooner than you were supposed to leave!"

  
"I know, but they bumped up the start of production." He could see the disappointment in her eyes. "But, I'm hoping that you'll come and visit me the following weekend. I've already researched it and there's a train that leaves Friday night from Paddington station at 5:15 and arrives in Cardiff at 7:30. Then the last train out on Sunday is at 8:50, so we could have almost 2 full days together."

  
"You've really put some thought into this." She laughed. "Of course, I'll come visit.”

  
“Fantastic!” John said. Just then the timer went off on the oven so he got up to get the food. “ And when you come I'll be able to give you a tour of the set.”

  
“I think that might excite me a little more than seeing you.” She joked.

  
“Ouch.” John replied as he winked at her.  
\---------  
After dinner John took Clara into the living room and told her to wait there while he went and got a surprise for her. She sat there wondering what it could be, while he took off up the stairs. Just before he came down he told her to close her eyes, which made her even more excited as to what it could be. She could hear him entering the room and was so tempted to open her eyes slightly for a tiny peek but waited until he told her to open them. When she finally did, she saw John was sitting on one of the stools from the kitchen holding an acoustic guitar.

  
"Ooooh! Am I finally going to hear you play?" She asked excitedly. Ever since she found out that he had a guitar, she had been dying to hear him play, but they never really got around to it.

  
"Nope, I just thought I'd sit here and hold this, while you imagine me playing." He smiled at her.

  
"Ha ha. You think you're so funny. Play me a song, already!"

  
"Okay, okay." He laughed. "I'm going to play you two songs that I recently learned just for you." He began strumming the guitar, making sure it was in tune. Then Clara heard the familiar tune of a Kills song, Echo Home. She smiled as he began singing and was a little surprised at how good he was, not just on the guitar, but singing as well. She had never had a man serenade her before, so this was a definite first and if he was looking to get lucky later, mission accomplished. He looked like such a rock star. He finished the song and Clara began clapping while grinning ear to ear.

  
"That was so good!" She exclaimed enthusiastically.

  
"I think you might be biased, but thanks." He smiled and started to play the next song that Clara immediately recognised as the song they had danced to in his living room, Halo. She had always enjoyed this song, but this was the first time she really heard the words.

  
I found a way to let you win  
But I never really had a doubt  
Standing in the light of your halo  
I've got my angel now

  
Hit me like a ray of sun  
Burning through my darkest night  
You're the only one that I want  
Think I'm addicted to your light

  
It's like I've been awakened  
Every rule I had, you break it  
The risk that I'm taking  
I'm never gonna shut you out

  
Clara was so taken aback by the beauty of the song and the lyrics that hit so close to home, especially after what they had shared the night before. It was as if someone had written this song for the two of them. She couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes, but unlike the previous night when they were tears of hurt, these were tears of joy. When John finished the song, Clara got up, walked over to him and pulled him into a slow tender kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran one hand up into his curls. Her lips melted into his and it was as if they were becoming one. After some time, she slowly pulled away in need of catching her breath.

  
“That was so beautiful John.” She said as she looked deep into his eyes.

  
“It's truly how I feel Clara. There's a light around you that draws me in. A light that I can't get enough of.” He set his guitar down and put his hands on her hips to bring her closer to him. “I want to spend the next two weeks showing you, what I can't quite put into words yet."

  
He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers and as they were kissing, he picked Clara up and carried her to his bedroom. He knew that there would never be another woman for him and that his heart belonged to her, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words out loud that he knew were deep within him and with any hope would come to the surface before he left for Cardiff.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to spice things up a bit...

John was standing in the middle of wardrobe surrounded by clothes.  He didn't mind photoshoots but hated having to change his clothes so much.  He was putting on his third outfit of the day, a purple crushed velvet jacket, with Paul Smith black trousers and a crisp white button up shirt.  He had hoped this day wouldn't be so long, but it was turning out to be a whole day event.  He glanced at his watch and noticed that Clara would be getting off work soon.

"Not much longer John."  Harley, the wardrobe assistant said as she saw him checking the time.

"That's okay, I was just hoping to surprise my girlfriend at work but looks like I won't be able to now."  He replied.

"Sorry things went a little longer, but this is the last outfit.  After this you're done."  

"Great."  He said as he walked off towards to photographer.

He took more photos, immediately getting back into character.  As much as he was dreading leaving Clara, he did really enjoy playing the Avenger.  Thirty minutes later he was finally finished and was getting changed back into his own clothes.  As he was tying his boots he noticed the costume that he wore the most last season, the plaid trousers, hoody, and navy jacket with the red lining.  He suddenly had an idea and hoped that he would be able to execute it.

"Hey Harley.  Do you think I might be able to borrow this outfit?"  He said pointing at it.

Harley gave him an odd look and he knew she was going to want to know why.  So, he quickly thought of a reason.

"I have a friend's kid who is a big fan of the show and would love it if I showed up at his birthday party in it."  Not bad for on the spot thinking, he thought.

"Yeah, I don't see why not.  We won't need it until Cardiff, so just bring it back when we start shooting."  She said.  "Just let me bag it up for you."

"Great.  Thanks so much."  He replied.  He couldn't wait to get home now and put the rest of his plan into action.

\----------

Clara came out of the tube station and made her way over to John's.  He had sent her a text shortly after she had finished teaching asking her to come to his place for dinner.  She probably should have gone home because she had a lot of marking to do, but she also wanted to make the most of her time left with him so essays could wait.  Once she reached his house she rang the bell and was greeted by John holding a key out to her.

"What's this?"  She asked as she entered and took it from him.

"I'm pretty sure it's a key."  He replied as he shut the door.

"Obviously, but for what?"

"My house."  He said.

"You're giving me a key to your house?" She asked, shocked.

"It would appear so, yes."  He smiled at her.  "I'm tired of always having to answer the door for you.  Plus, while I'm gone you can come and check up on the place from time to time.  If you want?"

"Yes."  She responded happily.  "Thanks."

"You're welcome."  He said as he gave her a gentle kiss.  "Now let's eat.  I'm hungry."

John had picked some curries up on his way home and had it ready for them to eat.  They chatted about their days, Clara telling him about the trials and tribulations of Coal Hill and he sharing about the monotonous photoshoot.  As soon as they had finished eating, they washed the dishes together and discussed what they wanted to do for the rest of the evening.

"Why don't you go have a nice hot soak in the tub and relax for a bit." John suggested to Clara.

"Are you going to join me?"  She added.

"I would love to, but I need to go over my script a bit before tomorrow."  He lied.  "How about, I finish up here, while you go run the bath and then I'll bring you a glass of wine."

"Deal."  She said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek and made her way upstairs.

John quickly finished the rest of the dishes then poured two glasses of wine before going to find Clara.  By time he walked into the bathroom, she was already submerged in the tub, with only her head sticking out of a cloud of bubbles.

"Are you sure you don't want to join me?"  She said, sitting up to reach for the wine giving him a very clear view of her wet breasts.  

"Tempting."  He said as he licked his lips.  "But I really need to work on this script for a bit."

"Fine."  She pouted and then sunk down in the tub again.

John went to his office where he had left his costume and changed before quietly heading back to the bedroom.  He lit some candles to set the mood, not that they ever needed any help with that, then went back into the hall to wait for Clara to get out of the bath.

Fifteen minutes had passed when she finally finished.  She stepped out of the tub and towel dried off before rubbing lotion on her body and brushing her teeth.  She then grabbed her silk grey robe, similar to the black one at her home, and wrapped it loosely around her body.  She knew it wasn't likely going to stay on for long the way John had been eyeing her up in the bath.  She opened the door to the bedroom and was surprised to see John had lit the candles, giving the room a soft warm glow and a scent of wood sage and sea salt.  She looked around expecting to see John, but he wasn't there.  Then she looked at the doorway and saw him silhouetted in the dark hallway.  It wasn't until he stepped into the room that she saw he was wearing the costume she loved most from his show, the plaid trousers, a graphic white t-shirt, faded black hoody, and the iconic navy jacket with the red lining.  Her inner fangirl was screaming inside and she had to do her best to keep her under control, at least for now.  

“Wow.”  She said as she bit her bottom lip, as if she were ready to devour him alive.

“What do you think?”  He said as he put his hands in his pocket, flipping the jacket open so she could see a flash of red.

Clara looked at him and gave him a small grin, which caused her eyes to sparkle.

“I think you look pretty fucking hot.”  She replied and took a step towards him.  “Have you been holding out on me with this outfit?”

John chuckled and smiled at her.  “No.  I asked to borrow it while I was at the photoshoot today.”

“Any chance you can keep it?”  She asked as she ran her hands down the lapels of his jacket.  

“Not likely, but we'll see what happens in Cardiff.”  He replied as he put his hands on her hips.

Clara was admiring the outfit, running her hands over the jacket.  It felt a lot softer than it looked on TV.

“There's one problem with this costume though.”  She said.

“What's that?”  He asked.

“There are too many damn layers to get you out of.”  She replied as she moved her hands to the zipper of his hoody but was stopped by John.

“Oh no.  You are not getting me out of this yet."  He said as he easily wrapped his large hand around her tiny wrists, preventing her from touching him.  "I believe your fantasy was you wanted to fuck me while I was  _wearing_ my costume, not out of it."

Clara smirked at him and felt a rush of heat travel through her.  She was amazed that this was actually going to happen and wanted to be sure they took their time, despite how badly she wanted to push him on to the bed and have her way with him. 

John let go of her hands and pulled at the tie on her robe.  With very little effort the material fell to the sides and left her bare and exposed for him to admire.  She stood there as she felt John wanted to take the lead for now before he gave control up to her.  He lifted a hand to her face, running his thumb across her cheek bone before slowly and lightly trailing it down her neck until he was palming her breast in his hand.  His touch brought goose bumps to her flesh and a moan escaped her lips.  He placed his other hand at the back of her head and leaned forward to capture her mouth with his.  Clara couldn't stand still any longer and wrapped her arms around his neck, running a hand into the curls at the back of his head.  

Their kiss deepened as Clara slid her tongue along his lips and John eagerly opened to let her in.  She desperately wanted to feel his skin, so she moved her hands down to the bottom of his shirt and ran them around to caress his back, sighing as she finally touched his skin.  She moved closer into him and felt that he was just as turned on as she was.  At some point he had moved his hands so that both were now kneading her breasts, his thumbs circling her nipples.

"Oooh John, you have no idea what you're doing to me."  She said as she broke away from the kiss.

"Let me see."  He replied as he took one hand and slowly slid it down her stomach to reach between her legs.  "Oh, you're so wet."

He continued to tease her by stroking her folds, bringing his finger to circle her clitoris and then dip back down to her entrance.  He could feel her start to lose her balance as she was gripping his back harder, so he moved her over towards the bed and pushed her robe off before laying her down.  He stood at the foot of the bed and thought he was the luckiest man alive to have such a beautiful woman who wanted him as much as he wanted her.  He knelt down and started kissing her inner thighs, taking his time reaching her apex.

Clara sat up and leaned back on her hands wanting to watch as John licked and sucked her sex, as his tongue swirled around her clitoris, all while looking as if he had just stepped out of her TV and into her bedroom.  Just this sight alone was enough to make her come, but then he started thrusting first one finger and then another in and out of her, and she knew it wouldn't be long before she was screaming his name.  She could feel the pressure building and her breathing was becoming shorter and shorter, her moans louder and louder until she finally exploded, falling back on the bed.  John caressed her sex, easing her down from her orgasm, while he wiped her juices from his chin with his other hand.

John stood up and looked down at her displayed on his bed and felt proud that he was the man who made her feel this way.  Clara sat up and noticed the bulge in his pants and wanted nothing more than to return the favour.  She reached out and grabbed his belt buckle, pulling him closer to her.

"Looks like these pants might be a little tight for you."  She said as she unzipped his zipper and reached in and pulled out his hard erection.  She began stroking him from the base to the tip, running her thumb across the top and spreading his wetness back down his member.  She couldn't help but lick her lips in anticipation of her mouth being wrapped around it.  She looked up at him with her big round eyes and didn't take them off of him as she started licking him.

He was pretty sure he would not be able to wear this outfit again and not get hard.  He watched as she opened her mouth and let him slide down her throat, squeezing her lips around him as she slowly pulled him out and then used her tongue to lick around the tip.  His hands flew to the back of her head, as she continued sucking on his hard erection.

"Sweet Jesus Clara!"  He groaned.

She looked up at him and winked and he almost came at the sight of her smiling around his cock.  He let her continue for a couple of more stokes, but he wanted to be fucking her when he came, so he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her up to stand.  He kissed her passionately, mixing the taste of him and her together.  He knew that she likely wanted to be in control, so he turned them around and undid his pants and pushed them down to his thighs.  He then laid back on the bed and Clara wasted no time in mounting him and guiding his sex into hers.  She sat there for a moment, taking in the vision of him lying under her looking like the character that had first brought him to her attention.  How many times had she gotten herself off to this fantasy and now it was a reality.  She began riding him, slowly at first, but then picked up the pace.  John's hands flew to her hips and he sat up capturing a bouncing breast in his mouth, being sure to pay equal attention to each one. 

"Fuck John!  Your cock is so hard!"  She screamed.

"Oh God Clara, I'm gonna come!"  

She started going faster and John couldn't hold off any longer.  He exploded deep inside her bringing her over the edge with him.  Clara collapsed on top of him and then rolled over on to her side next to him.  John was a hot mess and needed to get out his clothes, so he got up and quickly striped out of them before joining her back on the bed and cuddled next to her.

"Seriously, any chance we can keep that outfit."  She said as she laid her head on his chest.

"I think I might have a talk with wardrobe and see about getting a second one made for me."  He replied.  "Because I know I for one want to repeat that fantasy again.


	32. Chapter 32

Clara had woken up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.  When she came back into the room she noticed that John had just thrown his costume on the floor, and she felt that she should pick them up as they were more important than his regular every day clothes.  The last thing she grabbed was his jacket, which she suddenly felt compelled to try on.

John woke up and noticed Clara gathering his clothes and before he could say something he saw her slip his navy coat on.  He sat up and took in the sight of her standing in the moonlit room wearing nothing but his jacket while looking at herself in his full length mirror.  The coat was obviously too big on her, the sleeves were too long and it went all the way down to her knees, but she was breathtaking in it.

“What are you doing?”  He asked with a laugh.

Clara jumped a little when he spoke, unaware that he had woken up.  She turned around to him and opened the jacket to not just flash her body at him, but the red lining too.

“What do you think?”  She asked.

“I think I'm never going to be able to wear that jacket again without getting hard.”  He answered as he threw the covers back and got out of bed.  Clara could see as he walked towards her that more than just John himself had been awakened.

Once he was standing in front of her he opened the jacket and wrapped his arms around her before descending his mouth on to hers.  As he kissed her he slid his hands down to grab her firm round butt, pulling her closer to him.  She instantly felt his arousal pressed against her belly.  

“I think it's my turn to fuck you while _you_ wear my costume.”  He said as he moved them over to the bed and laid her down.

Clara moved back on the bed, opening the coat and spreading it out like wings while John watched, stroking his erection.  He positioned himself over her and kissed her while he eased himself into her.  She felt so hot and wet around him and clearly this jacket really had an effect on her.  He began by slowly pushing in and out of her, but before long Clara had wrapped her legs around him and was urging him to go faster.  He picked up the pace and she started meeting him thrust for thrust.  It wasn't long before they were both screaming their release, having come together for the second time that night.

John kissed Clara as they gradually came down from their high and once he felt himself soften inside her, he pulled out and went to the bathroom to clean up.  Clara stood up and removed the jacket, making sure there wasn't any evidence of their activities on it.  She put it with the rest of his clothes and climbed back into bed.  John returned and wrapped his arms around her while giving her soft kisses on her temple.  He could feel the words in his heart that he wanted to say in this moment, but he still couldn't make them come out.

"You're incredible."  He said.

"Because I share your appetite for sex?"  She said.

"Well that is pretty great, but no."  He replied.  "Because I never thought I would meet a woman like you.  You're smart, funny, sexy as hell, and you give amazing blow jobs."

Clara couldn't help but snort at his last statement.  "Thanks, I aim to please."  She said.

She snuggled closer into his side, enjoying the feel of his skin touching hers.  "I'm really going to miss you."  She said.

"I know."  He sighed.  He didn't want to spend any time away from her for the next 10 days before he left.  "Stay with me."  He blurted out, without thinking.

"I am."  She said, confused by his statement.

"No.  I mean until I leave, stay with me."

"Okay."  She said without even thinking.  She didn't see any point in being apart from him during this time, so there was no doubt in her mind that the answer was yes. 

\-----------

The next day Clara had gone home after work and picked up a few things.  She wasn't sure what clothes she needed so she packed a couple of bags and decided to take a cab over to John's.  When she got there, she was about to ring the door bell, but then remember that she had a key.  

"Hello?"  She yelled as she entered, unsure if he was home or not.

"Hey."  He said as he came out of the kitchen and saw her as she was just placing her bags near the bottom of the stairs.  He walked over and gave her a kiss.  "Dinner's almost ready."

After they ate, John helped Clara unpack by making some room in his closet for her stuff and then they spent the rest of the night doing work that was neglected from their activities the night before.  John went to his office to prepare for the reading he was dreading going to the next day, and Clara stayed downstairs and marked essays.  When she finished she went and got ready for bed, stopping briefly outside his office to see how he was doing but then decided not to bother him.

Fifteen minutes later Clara was settled on what had become her side of the bed reading a book.  John entered about a half an hour later and stopped in the doorway to take in the sight of her and smiled.  She noticed him and returned his smile.

“Are you ready for tomorrow?”  She asked as she closed her book and placed it on the bedside table.

“For the reading yes, but seeing River, no.”  He replied as he stripped down to his boxers and walked towards the bathroom.

Clara wasn't sure what to say to him.  This had to be a very difficult situation for him and one that she couldn't really relate to.  Sure she had to work with Danny, but they had only dated for a short period and not married for as long as John and River had been.  John came back out of the bathroom and got under the covers with her.  Clara turned her reading lamp off and turned to cuddle him.

“Well at least you get to come home to me when it's all over.”  She said as she caressed his chest.

“That thought and the image of your smile will be what helps get me through it.”  He replied as he kissed her forehead.

\----------

John had arrived at the BBC and was escorted to the room they would be doing the reading.  He was a little early so there weren’t that many people there yet.  He spotted Michael and went to talk to him and catch up.  While they were chatting Michael told him that he would be able to tell Clara about River after the reading.  John pretended to be happy that he could finally share the news with her and thanked him.  They were interrupted when John's PA showed up and took John aside to go over some information about his new flat in Cardiff.

“Thanks so much.”  John said to the young man.

“No problem.  And here's your keys.”  He replied as he passed him a ring with two sets of keys.

“Two sets?”  John questioned.

“Yeah, Michael said that you would need a second set this season.  Is that okay?”

“Yeah.”  John replied surprised at the gesture.  Michael must have wanted to make up for the whole River thing.  

He thanked his PA again and then noticed that more people had arrived, two of whom were Missy and River.  Luckily Missy wouldn't be a problem any more if she stayed true to her word when he saw her in the States, but she was such a wild card one never knew what she might do.  Missy walked over towards him and they hugged hello.

“John it's so good to see you.”  She said

The use of his real name and not his nickname was a good sign. 

“You too Missy.  How was your time off?”  He asked.

“Fabulous!  I met this handsome American businessman and we were travelling all over Europe.”  She replied very excitedly.

“That's great Missy.  I'm glad that you met someone who can make you happy.”  John said.

“Well I understand I'm not the only one who met someone.  You've started dating someone I saw.”

“Yes, I did.”  John responded, not wanting to give much more information.

Just then River had walked over to them.

“And what are you two talking about?”  She asked as she joined them.

“Oh I was just asking John about the new woman in his life.”  Missy said.

“I think you mean _girl_ , Missy.”  River said as she gave a small chuckle.

“Really River.”  John said annoyed.  “It must really bother you that I've found someone younger than you who makes me happy.”

“Oh I'm sure she makes you _happy_.” She replied emphasizing the word happy.  

But before John could respond one of the producers announced that they were going to start and for everyone to take their seats.  John found his name card and thankfully it was not next to River.   Everyone took their seats and they began by welcoming everyone, followed by introductions.  Once that was done they got down to the task at hand and began the reading.

After about an hour they stopped for a break, at which point John noticed Clara had sent him a text.

**Clara:** **Hope it's going okay today.** **Remember** **what you get to come** **home to when you're done.**

She had attached a picture of herself smiling, which then made John smile.  He quickly typed out a reply.  

**John:  Thanks for that.** **I really needed that smile.  Can't wait to see you later and kiss you all over.**

He hit send and before he had a chance to put his phone away Clara had responded.

**Clara:  All over you say.  I can't wait for that too.** **;)**

John smiled again at the thought of kissing her on all the places she loved to be kissed.

**John:  Good because I'm going to kiss you** **on all your** **favourite** **places** **.**

**Clara:** **Oh and what** **favourite** **places would** **those** **be?**

John chuckled to himself as he read her last message.  She was trying to push to see how far he would take this, but she should know by now that he's not one to back down.

**John:  Your neck, behind your knees,** **your inner thighs…**

**Clara:  Yes those are some of my favs but not your most** **favourite** **;)**

Just then they called everyone back, so he didn't have enough time to type back the response he wanted but instead sent a quick reply.

**John: Minx ;)** **Gotta** **go xo**

**Clara: xoxo**

That little exchange had made him feel better and he went back for the second half of the reading happier than he was for the first.  It was another couple of hours before they were finished and John was hoping to get out of there without another run in with River, but of course no such luck.

“John, I really think we should have dinner.”  She asked.

“No.”  John answered as he was putting papers into his bag.

“Will you just hear me out.  We're going to be working together, which means we need to sort through these issues and put the past behind us.  Start fresh one might say.”

John thought for a moment because he knew part of that was right, they did need to figure out how to work together.

“I agree we need to improve the working relationship, but we don't need to do that over dinner.  Perhaps we could sit down with Michael and work some things out.”  John responded.

"Are you afraid to be alone with me John?"  She asked as she slid her hand down his arm.

"Not afraid, I just don't want to be alone with you."  He said as he pulled away from her.

"Fine.  We can do it your way, once we're in Cardiff."  She agreed.  "Are you going to the party on Saturday?"

"I have to, so yes."

"Alone?"  She asked.

"No."

"Shame."  She added giving him a coy smile.  “Well regardless, I guess I'll see you there.”

With the final word River walked off leaving John alone to wonder what the hell was going on with her.  Why was she so insistent on having dinner with him and knowing if he was coming to the party alone?  God he hoped she didn't think they could actually get back together.  He put the thought out of his mind as he looked at his phone and saw that Clara would soon be home from work and he could go home and give her all those kisses he'd promised.


	33. Chapter 33

Clara was putting the finishing touches on her makeup for the party at the BBC.  She was excited and nervous all at once in anticipation of the evening, mostly because she didn’t quite know what to expect.  She wasn't looking forward to all the paparazzi, but she knew it was a part of what it meant to date a celebrity.  Although most of the time John didn't seem like one, she suspected tonight he would. 

"Wow!"  He exclaimed as he walked into the room.  "You look amazing." 

"Thanks."  She said as she turned around to check him out in his navy Paul Smith suit.  "You look pretty handsome yourself." 

"Not as gorgeous as you.  This dress is stunning." 

Clara had decided to go shopping for the occasion and bought a dress with a floral print on a black backdrop, trimmed with a white organza hemline.  She was wearing her hair down in waves and accentuated her look with subtle classy makeup.  The two matched rather nicely she thought as John stood next to her, giving a final spray of his cologne. 

"Ready?"  She asked him as she just finished putting her lipstick on. 

"As I'll ever be."  He replied.  "I really hate going to these parties, but at least this time I'll have you by my side." 

"Well I don't plan on leaving it, so you're stuck with me."  She said as she grabbed her bag and the two made their way downstairs. 

Thirty minutes later they were getting out of the car and making their way past photographers and reporters.  John had done his best to prepare her on the way over, and she was so thankful for that because this was like nothing she had ever experienced in her life.  As soon as they got out of the car, a young woman was there, that John seemed to know, and she escorted them to a spot where they posed for pictures.  Then before Clara had a chance to even catch her breath John was being whisked down the carpet to speak to reporters.  Meanwhile she was following behind with another unknown woman, who seemed to know John as well. 

"You must be Clara."  The woman said to her as they were standing off to the side waiting for John to move on. 

"I am, yes."  She replied surprised that she knew her name.  

"I'm Janet, one of the production assistants on the show.  It's really nice to meet you." 

"You too."  Clara said as they moved along.  She couldn't get over the ease of which John was able to talk to everyone.  For someone who hated this, he did a good job of hiding it. 

"First time doing one of these, isn't it?"  Janet asked. 

"Is it that obvious."  Clara said. 

"You do have that kind of deer caught in headlights look.  Just smile and focus on John if it helps."  She advised. 

"Thanks.  This is just a tad surreal."  Clara replied as she looked over at John as he moved on to yet another reporter. 

"Well lucky for you John doesn't like to do to many of these things, but when he does there's always the option of going in a different entrance, while he does the carpet." 

"Really?  You mean I could have done that tonight?"  She questioned. 

"Yeah, but I think John wanted to show you off."  Janet said as she motioned towards John who had reached the end and had his arm outstretched for Clara to take his hand.  He pulled her into his side and they posed for some more photos before they went inside for the party. 

"You okay?"  He asked. 

"Yeah.  Just a little shell shocked is all."  She replied.  “You're amazing how you handle all that.” 

“Practice.  I really hate doing all that stuff, but it's part of the gig. I will say this though, it was nice having someone to walk it with me.”  He said as he kissed her hand. 

“Well I hardly walked it with you, more behind you.”  

“Yeah, sorry about that.” 

“It's okay.  The PA Janet explained it all to me.  Maybe next time I can go in a different door and avoid the red carpet.  Unless you wanna show off your hot girlfriend.”  She smiled at him. 

“Whatever makes you comfortable, but it was nice showing the world that this beautiful woman is with me.” 

“Then I'll be where you want me to be.  I can’t really complain about the view when I'm following behind you.”  She said as she winked at him. 

“Minx.” He responded as he leaned down and whispered in her ear and the two shared a laugh. 

They made their way over to the bar where they each got a glass of champagne and then went and found a place to stand off to the side.  Clara finally had a chance to take in the room and noticed all the faces she recognized from the show.  Her inner fangirl was going crazy, but she had to push her down and keep her cool. 

“Hey I see Missy Davros over there.  Is she still hitting on you?  Do you need me to set her straight and tell her to back off, you're mine.”  Clara said trying to sound tough and funny at the same time. 

“No.” John laughed.  “She's met some American who sounds rich and took her traveling while we were off.  But if you want to shout to the room that I'm yours, I wouldn't mind one bit.” 

Clara flashed him one of her smiles that he knew was only for him.  He was about to lean down and give her a kiss when Michael and his wife came over and interrupted. 

“John!”  He said as he approached.  “So this is where you're hiding.” 

“Not hiding Michael, just avoiding.”  He responded as he shook the other man’s hand and kissed his wife on the cheek. “Michael and Jackie this is Clara, Clara this is Michael, our showrunner, and his wife Jackie.” 

“So nice to finally meet you Clara.”  Michael said. 

“Yes, it's so great to see John has found himself such a lovely woman.”  Jackie added. 

“Nice to meet you both as well.”  Clara responded. 

“Michael,” John said getting the man's attention.  “Thanks for the extra set of keys to the flat in Cardiff.”   

“It's the least I could do after everything with River and I figured you might have some company this season.”  He replied to John and then turned to Clara.  “I am really sorry that John couldn’t tell you sooner about River.” 

“I understand.  Doesn't mean I'm happy about it, but I understand.”  Not letting on at all that John had told her before he was supposed to.   

The four chatted some more before Michael decided he and Jackie should mingle a bit more and reminded John that he should be doing the same.  John agreed and took Clara by the hand to go join another group of people.  This was pretty much how most of the evening went up until the announcement about the new season. 

John had to go be on stage, but he made sure Jackie was with Clara before he left.  The two ladies were chatting and hitting it off when suddenly the lights dimmed and the theme song for Time Avengers played before a spot light appeared on Michael in the middle of the stage.  He gave a speech and then welcomed each of the cast members onto the stage, with John being the last one announced.  Another producer took over the mic and began talking and it was clear that he was going to be the one to announce River joining the cast this season.  Once she was announced she came out to a roar of applause, not as much as John obviously, but still pretty loud.  She waved to the audience and then made her way to the spotlight being sure to greet each cast member along the way, including John.  She hugged and kissed him on the cheek and Clara knew that John was doing his best to put his best face forward and not show the audience how he really felt about his ex-wife.  It still hurt a little to see her so close to him, but she knew she had to get used to it. 

"It's okay sweetheart."  Jackie said as she saw Clara flinch.  "That man only has eyes for you." 

"Thanks.  It's just hard knowing they had such a long past together."  Clara said. 

"Yes, but you're his future." Jackie responded trying to reassure her. 

Clara smiled at Jackie and turned her attention back to the stage.  River had just taken the mic and was about to talk. 

"Thank you everyone for the very warm welcome!  It's so great to be home and to be working with such a great cast and crew on a show that is an icon of British culture.  I want to thank the producers for giving me this opportunity and I can't wait to get started shooting."  Everyone applauded and River waited before continuing.  "I also want to add that I am very excited to be working with my Johnny again."  She glanced in John's direction where he was doing his best to keep a straight face.  "And I'm looking forward to spending more time with him." 

River handed the mic back to one of the producers who thanked everyone for coming and to enjoy the rest of the night as the party was just getting started.  Clara watched as everyone walked off stage and knew that they would have to go do some quick interviews with the press before coming back.  She was thankful that Jackie was still with her. 

"I think I'm going to have to keep my eye on that one."  Clara said to the woman next to her. 

"Oh, that's for sure.  She definitely has her sights on John."  Jackie agreed.  "Come on, let's go get a drink." 

Clara really liked Jackie and thought that the two would become fast friends.   They got to the bar and each ordered a gin and tonic and chatted some more.  Clara learned that Jackie and Michael have to two teenage boys and that Jackie works for the BBC as well, but her job is at the head office in London, so she has to stay here while Michael is off in Cardiff. 

"So how do you manage being apart for so long?"  Clara asked. 

"The boys keep me busy, although now that they're older they don't need me so much.  We also try to go and visit as much as we can and Michael comes home every chance he gets." 

"What's the longest you've been apart?"  She questioned. 

"Oh, I would say no longer than two weeks.  Depends on shooting really.  If they're shooting on a weekend then there's not much use in us going up."  Jackie could see that Clara was worried about being apart from John and tried to put her at ease.  "The best thing is to keep busy.  The busier you are, the faster time goes by and before you know it you'll see each other again." 

"Thanks for the advice."  Clara replied. 

"Any time.  In fact, I'll give you my number and you can call me if you need more.  When the guys are gone, I'll have you over for dinner some time to help keep you preoccupied."  Jackie opened her bag and took out a business card and wrote her cell number on the back.  "I remember what it was like when Michael and I were in the early stages.  Couldn't keep our hands off one another."  She handed Clara the card. 

"Well that's not the only reason I'm going to miss him, but it is definitely one."  The two women laughed and at that moment John walked up to them and gave Clara a kiss on the cheek, which caused the two women to laugh again, as John was proving Jackie's point. 

"I see you two have hit it off."  John said as he motioned to the bartender for a drink. 

"We have."  Jackie said.  "I'm very happy for the two of you.  It's nice to see you so blissful John.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find Michael and see if I can drag him out of here soon."  She said as she hugged John goodbye and then moved on to Clara.  "Call me dear, and I'll have you over to meet the boys." 

John looked down at Clara and was happy to have a moment alone with her.  He could see that she was bobbing her head to the music while sipping on her gin and tonic, which was a clear sign that she wanted to dance.  He usually wasn't one to dance at these things, but he did enjoy watching her move and wouldn't mind having an excuse to have her close to him.  He downed the rest of his drink and the second Clara finished hers, he grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the dance floor. 

They danced to the fast upbeat 80s music the DJ was playing and Clara was impressed that John had some moves she didn't know he had.  He would pull her into him from time to time, and she would dance against him while he had his hands on her hips, but then she moved away, not wanting things to get too sexy here.  At one point she couldn't help but notice that River was watching them and if she could actually shoot daggers with her eyes, Clara would be dead.  It made her happy to know that this was getting under her skin.   

After a few more songs, they stopped to go get more drinks.  On their way to the bar, John got stopped by one of the producers who wanted John to talk to a couple more reporters, so he told Clara to go ahead and he would catch up.  She was waiting at the bar, when River suddenly appeared in her corner of her eye. 

"You know it won't last, right?"  River spoke. 

"I'm sorry, what?"  Clara responded. 

"Your relationship with John." 

"And why's that?"  Clara asked getting annoyed. 

“You're not his type.  John likes a woman who can keep him on his toes, a woman who is sophisticated, daring, and a match for him in bed.  You don’t strike me as that type.” 

“Well maybe his tastes changed after his slag of an ex-wife cheated on him.  You don't know me so don't pretend that you do.”  Clara said replied trying to keep her calm. 

“I don't need to know you to know that in a week's time you'll be here in London and I'll be in Cardiff getting reacquainted with my husband.” 

“ _Ex-husband_ _._ ”  Clara corrected her.  “And I'm pretty sure that John has no desire to get reacquainted with you, so I don't care that you're going to be working in Cardiff with him because I'm the one who he'll come home to.” 

“For now.”  River said and once again turned and left so she could get the final word. 

Clara stood there and watched as River walked away.  That woman was infuriating, and daft if she thought she could get John back after throwing him away.  She had her chance with him, but now it was Clara's and she for one was not about to let her get in the way of what she and John were building.   

“Hey, no drinks?”  John said as he walked up to Clara, bringing her out of her thoughts. 

“Sorry.  I just had a run in with your ex.  Seriously John, I don't see what you ever saw in her.”  Clara said, still frustrated from her previous conversation. 

John put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.  “What happened?” 

“She told me that she intends on getting you back and that what you and I have is nothing.” 

John sighed and ran a hand through his curls. “I’m really sorry about that.  I'll talk to her.”  He said as he looked around for her. 

“Not now, okay.”  Clara said as John turned and looked back at her and could see that what was a good night had been ruined by River. 

“Okay.  Do you want to go home?”  He asked. 

“Could we?” 

“Absolutely.  I'd rather be snogging you at home anyway.”  He said, hoping to lighten the mood a bit.  

Clara smiled at him and he knew it worked.  He took her by the hand, said their goodbyes to the important people, and made their way back to John's.  John wasn’t entirely sure what to do with River because he knew her well enough to know that when she had her sights set on something, she wouldn't stop until she got it.  And despite the fact that there wasn't a chance in hell she would get him, she wouldn't take no for an answer. 


	34. Chapter 34

The next week went by quickly for both John and Clara. Too quickly for both of their liking as it was now the day before John had to leave for Cardiff. He was thankful that Clara had agreed to stay with him for the past couple of weeks and he really felt that he was getting closer to saying those three little words that he felt in his heart. He really wanted to tell her tonight, as he knew the separation was going to be hard on her, just as it would be on him.

  
They were laying in bed, Clara still fast asleep with one arm and leg draped over John. He wanted to get up and start breakfast so he eased out of her hold and quietly left the room. As he was walking down the hall he noticed the closed door to his office and smiled at the surprise he had behind that door for Clara. It was the only room in the house that he asked her to not go into because he was working on something that he wasn't ready for anyone to see. She had accepted his answer and never went in there, but tonight he would finally let her in.

  
An hour had past and Clara still hadn't come downstairs, so John decided to take breakfast to her. He loaded up a tray with coffee, eggs, toast and strawberries and made his way back upstairs. He walked into his bedroom and smiled at the vision that was Clara. His Clara. His heart hummed at the sight of her and he knew without a doubt that this woman had captured it. He set the tray down and crawled from the foot of the bed over top of her and once he was face to face with her he started placing soft gentle kisses, first on her cheeks and then moving to her lips. Clara responded by kissing him back and he knew that she was awake.

  
“Good morning to you too." She said as she wrapped her arms around him and started kissing him again. John couldn't resist and returned her kiss, until he remembered breakfast and broke away. She whimpered at the loss of contact.

  
"Time for that later, love. Right now, breakfast." He said as he got up to grab the tray and bring it over to the bed.

  
"First kisses and now breakfast in bed. You spoil me John." She said as she took a sip from her coffee.

  
"That’s the plan." He said as he sat down next to her and reached for his breakfast.

  
“So mister. Packing.” Clara said.

  
“What about it?”

  
“Are you going to do it or do you have a house elf you've been holding out on me with?”

  
“I know.” He groaned. There was nothing he hated more than packing, so he had been dragging his heels at doing it. “I'll start right after we eat.”

  
“Okay. Well I'm going to do a load of laundry so if there's anything you want washed give it to me and I'll do it. I'm totally taking advantage of not having to go to the launderette while I can.”

  
“You can come here and do laundry if you want.” He offered. “In fact, just because I'm leaving tomorrow doesn’t mean you have to.”

  
“Thanks, but it would be weird being here without you and it would likely make me miss you more.” She said a little forlorn.

  
“Fair enough.” He replied. “I would likely feel the same.”

  
“Oh! That reminds me.” She said as she got up and grabbed her work bag and pulled out a little box with a bow. “This is for you.”

  
John took the box and gave her a quizzical look while he opened it and pulled out a set of keys.

  
“They're to my flat.” She said answering his unasked question. “I meant to give them to you sooner, but then I was here and it didn't make much sense.”

  
“Thank you.” He said giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Now I can make surprise visits.”

  
“Yay!” She exclaimed. “I love surprises, and if they are of the 'you being naked' kind, even better.”

  
“Good because I have a surprise for you later.” Clara flashed him a wicked smile and he knew immediately what she was thinking.

“Not naked, but will hopefully lead to lots of nakedness.”

  
They finished their breakfast and then went about doing their mundane tasks so that they could enjoy the rest of the day. It felt good to share this bit of domestic life together. They had realised that the past two weeks had been a bit of a test and even though neither said anything to the other they both knew that when the time was right they would be able to live together. Of course they both had their issues that irritated them, but what couple didn't. Clara hated that John had a habit of shedding his clothes and leaving them where ever he took them off, while John hated Clara's need to clean up while he was still cooking instead of waiting until he was finished.

  
Clara was walking around the bedroom picking up the clothes that they had both left on the floor from the night before. In fact there was likely a trail of clothes starting from the living room and up the stairs. She looked out in the hallway and sure enough she found her bra and John's shirt, then smiled at the memory of how they got there. Just then John came out of his office carrying his laptop.

  
“What's the smile for?” He asked as he shut the door behind him so she couldn't see what was in there.

  
“Just remembering how this mess got here.” She replied as she pointed at the clothes.

  
“I'm old and my memory is a little fuzzy. Care to show me how they got there?” He asked as he moved towards her, but she slipped past him.

  
“You're not senile yet old man. You remember very well how that happened, so stop procrastinating and get packing.” She said as she walked down the stairs.

  
The afternoon moved quickly. Clara had finished the laundry and cleaning the kitchen, while John was still upstairs packing. She was feeling a bit grungy so she decided to have a shower. As she past through the bedroom she noticed that John had almost every article of clothing he owned on the bed trying to decide what to take and what to leave.

  
“And I thought I was a horrible packer.” She said as she looked at the mess.

  
“I blame you for this.” He said.

  
“What?” Clara said shocked. “How is this my fault?”

  
“I'm indecisive because I don't want to go. And I don't want to go because of you. So, ergo it's your fault.” He smiled at her.

  
"Sorry, but you have to go. I need to know what happens next season, so you need to start shooting." She smiled back at him. "I'm going to have a shower. Try and get this sorted before I finish."

  
John watched her walk into the bathroom and then looked back at the bed. She was right, he needed to just get it done, so they could move on and enjoy the rest of the day. He started grabbing clothes and packing them in his suitcase when he heard the water turn on in the shower. He suddenly got an image of Clara naked and found himself getting hard at the thought, which lead to another idea. He put down the trousers he was holding and started stripping his clothes off as we walked towards the bathroom. When he entered he saw Clara was in the middle of washing her hair and didn't notice him.

  
"Need some help washing the hard to reach places?" He asked as he opened the shower door and stepped in. Clara jumped a bit but wasn't surprised that he was joining her.

  
"You'll do anything to not pack, won't you?" She said as she started rinsing the shampoo out of her hair.

  
"I thought I would be a gentleman and help you instead." He replied as he reached for her loofa and body wash to start washing her back.

  
"How kind of you." She answered as she leaned back into his touch. "You couldn't possibly have any other reason for coming in here, could you."

  
"None what so ever." He whispered in her ear as he slid the sponge around to her front and passed over her breasts, while he placed his other hand on her hip.

  
He proceeded to slowly wash every part of her body, being sure to take his time when he reached between her thighs. Clara moaned at the feel of his tender care and knew that this wasn't going to be a quick shower, but she also knew that he still had to finish packing and rewarding him with shower sex was not going to make him do it faster. She pushed away from him and turned around to face him but was suddenly wondering if maybe she should change her mind as she caught sight of his hardening cock.

  
"You need to finish packing." She said using her school teacher voice. "No sex until it's done."

  
"What?" John exclaimed. Washing Clara had worked him up and he was really wanting to fuck her against the shower wall.

  
"You heard me. Now go!" She said firmly.

  
"Clara!" He practically whined.

  
"Do as you're told John. And when you're done, I'll give you a reward." She said.

  
Clara had never been this forceful with him and it was turning him on even more. He wondered what kind of reward he would get and the only way to find out was to get his packing done.

  
"Fine." He said as he stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist as he walked out.

  
Clara stepped out of the bathroom about thirty minutes later and saw that John was zipping up his bag and all the clothes gone from the bed.

  
"Finished?" She said and he turned around to look at her. She had dried her hair and was wearing her silky grey robe.

  
"Yes. Happy?" He said as he lifted the bag and put it next to the door.

  
"Not as much as you're going to be. Ready for your reward?" She asked.

  
"So incredibly ready." He said as he removed his towel, showing Clara that he was still half hard.

  
Clara untied her robe and let it fall open, but not taking it off. She moved over to the bed and sat with her back resting against the head board spreading her legs slightly. John watched her as she moved a hand between her thighs and started pleasuring herself, while massaging her breasts. He couldn't help but take his erection into his hand and started stroking.

  
"Remember the first time you saw me like this?" Clara asked.

  
"I'll never forget." He said.

  
"I wanted to give you the live version before you go."

  
"Thanks." He said as he climbed on the bed. "But I would much rather have the real thing while I can."

  
Clara stopped stroking herself and let John take over. He pushed her legs further apart and wasted no time in running his tongue from her core to her clitoris and back again. She was really going to miss this while they were apart. He was rather good at it and it was something that he enjoyed doing, in fact it was one of his favourite ways to wake her up in the morning. She moaned as he inserted a finger into her and began massaging the spot that was bound to make her come undone.

  
"Fuck John! I need you!" She moaned.

  
He stopped what he was doing and got on his knees lifting her hips and slamming into her.

  
“Fuck Clara you're so hot and wet.” John thrusted into her and he knew that this was going to be a quick hard fuck, slow and tender would come later.

  
He continued pumping in and out as Clara was moaning in pleasure. He could tell that she was getting close, so he used his thumb to start rubbing her clit, sending her over the edge as she screamed his name. A few more, hard thrusts and John followed her exploding deep inside her and then collapsing on top of her, panting. He placed a light kiss on her breasts and then rolled to the side.

  
"I'm going to miss these regular workouts." He said.

  
"Me too." Clara laughed. "I'm going to have to get my gym membership back."

  
John rolled onto his side and looked at the beauty next to him. He reached over and started tracing around her nipples with his finger, trailing it back and forth between the two as if he were drawing and her breasts were his canvas. He became lost in thought thinking about how much he was going to miss this, the way that he and Clara had become so comfortable with one another. It was sometimes as if she were in his mind, she knew him so well. And in 24 hours' time he'd be alone in Cardiff missing her like crazy.

  
"Having fun." She said.

  
"Huh?” He said as she brought him out of his thoughts.

  
Clara laughed at his distractedness. “What were you thinking about while doodling on my breasts?”

  
“How much I'm going to miss you.”

  
“Miss me tomorrow because today I'm here.” She said and smiled at him as she closed her robe.

  
“I was enjoying the view.” He pouted.

  
“You can enjoy it later. I think someone in this room promised me a romantic dinner and needs to start cooking.”

  
John looked at the clock and saw that the afternoon was getting away from him.

  
“Right you are.” He said as he jumped up and found a pair of jeans and pulled them on without pants and then grabbed a graphic t-shirt and put it on. “You my dear need to go out for a bit so I can prepare.”

  
“You're kicking me out?” She said astonished.

  
“Yes, but only for a couple of hours. Go have coffee with Amy or something.”

  
“But what if I don't want to.”

  
“Do as you're told.” John said throwing the words she had said earlier back at her.

  
“Fine.” She said as she got up. “I'll go shopping.”

  
“Thank you.” He said as he gave her a short kiss and excitedly went down stairs to start cooking.

  
\-----------

  
Two and a half hours later, Clara walked back into the house carrying a few shopping bags. The house smelt amazing with a combination of Italian food and baking. She entered the kitchen and saw that John was busy at the sink washing up from the mess he had made while preparing his romantic feast. She couldn't resist walking up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging his back.

  
"Hi." He said.

  
"It smells great in here." She replied as she continued hugging him.

  
"Well that's good. I would hate for it to smell horrible." He turned in her arms and placed a sweet slow kiss on her lips.

"How was shopping?" He asked as he pulled away.

  
"Good. I bought a couple of things I think you might like."

  
"Do I get a sexy fashion show later?"

  
"Nope." She said as she walked over to the fridge and pulled out the white wine.

  
"What? Seriously?! That's not fair."

  
"Sorry, but what I bought today is not for tonight, but rather next weekend in Cardiff."

  
"Well I really can't wait to see you next week now." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and gave her a sly grin.

  
\----------

  
After the two ate dinner and had dessert, they went into the living room to finish their wine, cuddle and listen to some music. They had been dating for a few months now, but Clara couldn't get over how it felt like John had always been a part of her life. In the short time they had known each other, he had managed to capture her heart and she wanted more than anything to tell him that. She knew that by saying the words she wouldn't scare him off, but she just needed to be sure she would hear them back from him. It was crazy, but there was still a small part of her that couldn't believe this was all happening.

  
"So, are you ready for your surprise?" John asked, bringing her out of her thoughts. He couldn't wait any longer to show Clara what he had been working on and really hoped that she loved it.

  
"Do I have to leave the couch?" She responded.

  
"Afraid so, but we can come back." He said as he stood up and grabbed her hand to pull her up as well. He led her upstairs and stopped when he reached his office door.

  
"Oh, am I finally going to see what's in there?" Clara asked excitedly.

  
"Yes. Now close your eyes."

  
She closed them and heard John open the door before taking her hand and leading her in. He positioned her, then moved behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders. She suddenly felt his breath near her ear.

  
"Open your eyes."

  
She opened them and stood there shocked by what she saw. It was a painting, but not just any painting, it was her. She took a step towards it, drawn in by how beautiful and life like it was. She recognized the image as the day after she and John had made love for the first time, when he had asked to take her picture. The expression on her face was a combination of happiness and peacefulness, her body relaxed and glowing.

  
"It's me." She said as she continued to stare.

  
"It is." John said letting out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

  
She took another step towards it and looked more closely at it. The colours and details were amazing. Her eyes had a sparkle in them that she didn't know she had.

  
"It's so beautiful John. I can hardly believe it's me."

  
"It's how I see you Clara. To me you are this and so much more. Your beauty needed to be captured and I'm glad that you allowed me to do this. I haven't painted like this in years, but you inspired me. In fact," he said as he walked over to his desk and opened his top drawer, "I wanted to show you this too."

He pulled out a piece of paper and turned around to show Clara. She took it from him and couldn't help but stare at the life like drawing of herself.

“Wow. You've been busy since we started dating.” She said unable to take her eyes off the picture.

“Well actually I did that drawing before we started dating.” He said shyly.

“You mean after the convention when we had drinks at the pub?”

“No. The very first time I saw you at the pub. Remember I told you I saw you with PE.” He replied.

“You drew THIS after that? You didn't even talk to me.” She said surprised.

“I didn't have to. You smiled at me before you left the pub and it was that image that was seared in my mind. I came home that night and drew this. Mostly because I never thought I would see you again.” He caressed her cheek. “I didn't ever want to forget this face.”

Clara stared at him in utter disbelief. While she was fantasizing about meeting him, he had drawn her image from memory. He may not be able to say the words, but she could see the love in his eyes and suddenly, she didn't need to hear them from him for her to say it.

"I love you John." She said as she leaned into his hand, her heart feeling so full that if she didn't say the words it may have exploded.

John stared at her, hardly believing that Clara had just said what was in his heart. He smiled and then leaned down to kiss her. It was a slow gentle kiss, each of them wanting to savour this moment. He had brought both his hands to her face and she had wrapped her arms around his waist, kissing while they embraced.

John pulled his lips away and rested his forehead on hers staring so deep into her eyes that Clara thought he could see her soul.

"I love you too." He said and wondered why it took him so long to say it. Of course, he loved her, he had almost from the moment he first saw her. And now it was her turn to smile and kiss him back. Only this time as they were kissing, John picked her up and carried her to his bedroom and laid her down on his bed, kissing her the entire time.

Clothes were shed, slowly, as neither one wanted to rush this nor did they want to unlock their lips. Once they were both naked, John took his time to worship every part of Clara's body, memorizing every inch of her skin with his lips. When he was sure it was seared in his mind he moved above her and slowly slid his hard member into her. At first, he didn't move, but instead just enjoyed the feel of her around him and the closeness of their bodies. This was the closest two human beings could get and he wanted to remember the feeling, both physically and emotionally.

“I love you Clara Oswald.” He said as he smiled at her and then began to slowly move in and out of her.  
  
Their love making lasted most of the night and before they knew it the alarm was going off indicating that the day they were both dreading was finally here. John turned it off and rolled back over to envelope Clara in his arms. They snuggled and kissed as they slowly woke up until finally Clara forced them to both get up.

“Come on.” She said. “I'll go make coffee while you jump in the shower.”

“How about we both jump in the shower and we forget the coffee.” He said as he snuggled into her neck.

“Seriously!? Where do you get this energy?” She asked him as she pulled away from him and got up. "We have only had about 3 hours of sleep."

“Um, have you seen you?” He said as he threw the sheet back and Clara could see that John was starting to get hard. “The second I see you naked or touch your skin, my tallywanker stands at attention.”

“Tallywanker! Now you're really not getting sex.” She laughed as she pulled on her robe. “And if you ever want to get it again, don't refer to your penis as a tallywanker.”

“Yes boss.” He said as he laughed and went to have a shower.

An hour and a half later they were in a car being driven over to Clara's flat. John had asked his driver to drop her off so he could help her with her bags and say goodbye to her properly. When they finally arrived, John told the driver to wait in the car and that he would be back in a few minutes.

They walked into her flat, and Clara suddenly felt like her home was so lonely. John had carried her bags into her room and came back out to stand at the door, neither one wanting to say goodbye. He pulled her into him and gave her a languid kiss. He slowly drew his lips away and saw that a tear was running down her cheek.

“Five days, that's all it is until I have you in my arms again.” He said as he ran his thumb across her cheek, wiping the tear away.

“I know.” She said and kissed him again. After a couple of minutes, John finally pulled away.

“I've gotta go.” He said as he stepped away, but still holding her hand.

“Okay.” She said giving him a little pout. “Call me when you get there.”

“Yes boss.” Making Clara smile at the name that was becoming a term of endearment.

“I love you.” She said, finally happy to be able to say it out loud.

“I love you too.” He replied and walked out the door. Clara closed the door behind him feeling both sad and happy. John Anderson, or rather as she knew him Smith, loved her and never in her wildest dreams did she think this would happen. But now they had to endure nine months of occasional visits and John spending a lot of time with his ex. She decided she needed to take her mind off all of this and walked towards her bedroom to call Amy and tell her what she already knew, Clara loved John and he loved her back.


	35. Chapter 35

Clara walked into the school on Monday morning clutching her coffee and hoping to have an easy, conflict free day. She had been up late the night before talking to John, neither one wanting to hang up the phone. Based on how difficult it was for her to wake up this morning, she knew they couldn't do that again. She made it to her classroom and hadn't been there for more than ten minutes before Amy came bounding in.

“Hey! I got your message yesterday. Sorry I didn't call you back but Rory and I were at his parent's place all day and when we got home we just passed out.”

“It's okay.” Clara replied. “I wasn't calling for any reason in particular. Just wanted to tell you that John told me he loves me.”

She was writing notes on the board and was trying to play her statement off as being not important, but smiled when the words came out of her mouth.

“Shut up!” Amy exclaimed. “I want details!”

“Not now, class is going to start soon.”

“At lunch?” Amy asked.

“Can't I have to meet with Adrian to discuss the school play.”

“After school, or are you rushing off to be with the man you love.” Amy said, teasing her on the word love.

“No. He left yesterday for Cardiff.” Clara said sadly.

“Shite. Sorry I forgot.” Amy said as she apologised for her gaff. “Okay you're having dinner with Rory and me tonight. I'm not taking no for an answer.”

“Okay. That would be nice.” Clara accepted.

“Great I'll let Rory know.” She said as she walked out.

\-----------

The day flew by for Clara, which was good as it really took her mind off missing John. It was ridiculous really how much she had turned into one of the girls she hated. A girl who was so consumed by her boyfriend that she couldn't stand to be without him. She was just packing up her stuff when her phone rang and she saw that it was John.

“Hey handsome.” She said as she answered.

“Right back at you beautiful. How was your day?”

“Good. Courtney was sick today.”

“So, a peaceful day then.” He said, familiar with the Courtney Woods stories.

“Yep. How was yours?” She asked as she sat down at her desk.

“Not bad. Spent most of it in rehearsals. The fun stuff doesn't start until tomorrow.”

“Good. And River?” Clara asked wanting to keep tabs on her.

“Not here. I don't have any scenes with her until the next episode, so I should be River free for a couple of weeks.”

“Glad to hear it.” She said and just at that moment Amy walked into her room. “Hey, Amy just came to my class. I'm going to her place for dinner tonight so I should go, but I'll call you tonight?”

“Absolutely. We can chat later. Love you.” He said amazed at how easily it came out now.  
  
“Love you too.” Clara smiled and hung up.

“Isn't that sweet. Now lets go so I can have wine and hear this story.” Amy said.  
\-------

The week had gone by fairly fast for John, mostly thanks to a busy shooting schedule. They started on Tuesday morning and had some pretty long days, which took his mind off of Clara and how much he missed her. Now it was Friday night and her train would be arriving soon. He had to work, so he wouldn't be able to pick her up but asked his driver if he could get her and bring her to the studio. When he got his call time earlier in the day, he asked Michael if it would be okay if Clara came to set since his wrap time was so close to her arrival. Luckily, he didn't have a problem with it, so John would be able to give her a tour when she got there.

Clara arrived at the station in Cardiff and looked for the driver that John had said was going to pick her up. She looked around and then finally spotted a man holding a sign with her name. It felt all posh as she had never been greeted at an arrival like that. The man took her bag and explained that he was going to take her to the studio where John was. She was surprised because the sneaky devil hadn't told her that earlier.

They arrived at the studio where Clara was then greeted by a production assistant who handed her a visitor's badge and led her through the labyrinth type corridors. They stopped outside a door and the PA explained that they were in the middle of a shot and couldn't go in until the light above the door went out. Twenty minutes later it turned off and they were able to enter, to a sight Clara had not been prepared to see. She had just stepped into The Avenger's time machine and John standing at the console in his costume, the same one he had worn the night they had had sex. She suddenly had visions of that night and got incredibly hot. Luckily her thoughts were interrupted by the PA telling her to have a seat off to the side while they did another take of the previous shot. John hadn't seen her yet, so it kind of felt like she was spying on him.

She was watching, completely enthralled with the whole process. She had never been on a set before, so everything was very fascinating and impressive. The director called a wrap on the day and there were suddenly a lot people scattering about. Clara wasn't sure if it was okay to approach John yet, so she just stayed in her seat waiting. Finally after a few more people cleared out, she spotted the PA who had brought her here standing next to John pointing in her direction. He looked over and gave her a huge grin, but held his hand up indicating for her to wait.

After a bit of time the set had cleared out, except for John and a woman Clara assumed was the director. He finally made his way over to her with the woman and introduced her.

“Clara this is Jenny, one of the directors.” He said as he smiled at her. “Jenny this is my girlfriend Clara.”

“Nice to meet you Jenny.”

“Likewise. I am sorry that we need John tomorrow morning.” Jenny apologised.

“Oh that's okay.” Clara said. John had told her last night that it looked like he might have to shoot on Saturday, but she still wanted to visit. “I've gone all week without seeing him, I can go a few more hours.”

Jenny smiled at her. “Good. Sorry I can't stay and chat but I need to run. Clara it was lovely meeting you and John I'll see you tomorrow.”

She turned and left and for the first time in five days John and Clara were alone and together again. John looked down at her and smiled, so happy to see her. He leaned down and captured her lips in a searing kiss that Clara happily returned.

They pulled apart, but remained in each others arms.

“Hi.” John said.

“Hi.” She said back.

“So what do you think of my time machine?” He asked as he swiped his arm out gesturing to the surroundings.

“I love it.” She said as she ran her hands down the lapels of his jacket. “But I love this more.”

“Me or the jacket?”

“You first, jacket second, time machine third.” She said as she gave him a toothy grin.

“Glad I rank at the top.” He replied. “Can I show you around?”

“Sure. Is there a bedroom on this ship?” She asked as John took her hand and led her towards the console.

“Cheeky.” He said as he winked at her. “We can start my flat tour with the bedroom.”

“It's just this costume. It used to make me randy before, but now…” She trailed off as she ran her hand down his arm to the front of his trousers and grabbed him. “Hmm is that your sonic wand or are you happy to see me.”

John sighed at the moment she touched him, but knew they couldn't do anything on set. It was way too risky with people still hanging about. But he so desperately needed her and wasn't sure if he or she could wait until they got home.

“Where's your bag?” He asked as Clara continued to rub him.

“I think someone took it to your dressing room. Why?”

“Good, now come on.” He replied as he grabbed her hand and practically dragged her off set.

He reached his dressing room door, opened it, pulled Clara inside, locked the door and then turned and pressed her against it, slamming his lips into hers. He wasted no time in plunging his tongue inside her mouth, swirling his tongue around hers. She wasted no time in undoing his slacks and pulling out his now hard shaft.

“Fuck I've missed you.” John moaned as he tore his lips away from hers.

He thanked his lucky stars that she was wearing a skirt, as he pushed it up and saw her pretty red lace panties. He reached a hand out to start caressing her. He felt her wetness through the fabric and knew she was just as ready as he was. He pulled the fabric to the side and slid a finger through her folds, finding her entrance to dip his finger in.

Clara sighed at the feel of him finally touching her. She had been imagining this moment from the second she saw him on set and right now all she wanted was for him to be inside her.

“Oh John. I need you now.” She sighed in his ear.

That was all John needed to hear to lift her leg as she guided him home. She felt so good, so tight and wet, that John started pumping in and out as fast and hard as he could.

“Harder!” Clara breathed in his ear.

He moved his hands down to her ass and lifted her higher as she wrapped her legs around him. He was now able to drive deeper into her and they both groaned at the feeling.

“Fuck Clara, I don’t know how much longer I can last.” John panted.

“Oh John!” She screamed, leaving zero doubt to what they were doing if anyone were on the other side of the door. “Yes! Oh fuck yes!”

John gave a couple of more hard thrusts before they both screamed their release. Clara gave John a couple of tender kisses as he eased out of her and she unwrapped her legs from him.

“I really needed that.” Clara said as John started changing out of his costume. “But definitely going to need more when we get home.”

“Agreed. That was a nice appetizer, but I'm still hungry.” He said as he pulled on his jeans and a plain grey t-shirt.

“Anything in particular you want to eat?” She asked suggestively. John raised an eyebrow at her.

“There's one thing in particular I'm craving.” He said as he grabbed her suitcase and then took her hand to lead her out and back to his flat to continue what they had started.

\----------

The next day John returned to the flat after his morning of shooting and was surprised to see Clara was in the kitchen baking. It was nice to return to his home away from home and see her there, he just wished it could be this way all the time. He walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her while he gave her a kiss behind her ear.

"Welcome home." She said as she turned in his arms.

"What are you making?" He said while he gave her a small kiss on the lips.

"Cookies. I'm not sure why, but I was suddenly craving chocolate chip cookies."

"Well it smells good. I can't wait to try one." He walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. "So, what do you want to do this afternoon?"

"I wouldn't mind going out for a walk, perhaps head down to Bute Park?" She asked.

"Your wish is my command. I'm just going to have a shower, feeling kind of grungy after my morning."

"Okay, by time you're done, the cookies should be finished and then we can go.”

\-----------

John and Clara spent the afternoon enjoying the great outdoors. It was a nice day and the air was feeling crisp and refreshing. During their walk some fans had spotted John, so he stopped to take some pictures and sign some autographs while Clara waited patiently off to the side. She had to admit she was starting to get used to it, despite the fact that it all still seemed a bit surreal. After a couple of hours they walked back towards the flat trying to decide what to have for dinner.

“We could go out to eat.” John suggested, as the pair were walking hand in hand.

“Nah. I want you to myself and this place is clearly swarming with fans.” She said casually.

“Sorry about that.” John replied.

“Don't apologise. I don't mind, it's just that I'm done sharing you for today.” She smiled at him.

“Okay, well we could do take away or cook.”

“Take away. I'm suddenly craving curries. Can we do that?” She asked.

“We sure can.” He said and then laughed. “You've been craving a lot of things today. First the cookies, now curries. I'd almost ask if you were pregnant, but I know you can't be.”

“Ha ha ha. No. I'm just in the mood for certain food today.” She replied, but John's statement made her think for a second. When was the last time she had her period? She stopped and pulled out her phone to check her app.

“Everything okay?” John asked as he watched her pull out her phone.

Clara stared at her phone in disbelief. How could she not have noticed? She looked up at John with worry in her face.

“I'm late.” She said.

“For what?” He asked completely oblivious.

“My period, John! It's late.” She took a couple of deep breaths trying to calm herself.

“But you're on the pill.”

“I know that, but I should have started 3 days ago and I didn't.” She said a little panicked.

John saw that she was freaked out and knew that he couldn't be the same.

“It's okay. We'll stop and pick up a test and find out for sure, okay?” He said as he put his hands on her shoulders.

“What if it's positive, John?” She asked as she looked him in the eyes.

“Then we will deal with that bridge when we get to it, but right now we need to find out if there's anything to freak out about.” He said as he took her hand and they started walking again.

They walked towards the nearest chemist, forgetting about dinner for now. Both were incredibly silent the whole way, deep in their own thoughts. Clara didn't want kids right now and wasn't entirely sure she ever wanted them. Lord knew she got her fill of kids with her job. Did John even want a baby? It was way to soon in their relationship to discuss it, so she had no idea how he felt about it. John on the other hand found himself thinking about something he never thought he would. He might be a dad. He had thought that the ship had sailed on having kids and the thought had never come to him that with Clara it could be a possibility. Was it to soon in their relationship to have them? Probably, but the thought wasn't that scary.

They got to the chemist, which thankfully was next door to a curries restaurant. Clara told John to go get dinner, while she went into the shop. He had started to protest, but Clara told him you never know who's around and the last thing he needed in the press was a picture of the two of them buying a pregnancy test. He agreed and they went their separate ways.

Once they got back to the flat, Clara went straight to the bathroom to take the test. When she came out, John had dished their food onto plates and had placed them on the table.

“How long?” He asked.

“About 5 minutes to be sure.”

“Do you want to eat?” He asked.

“Not yet.” She said as she sat down on the couch and put her head in her hands. John went and sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her.

“It's going to be okay Clara.”

She looked up at him and for the first time saw that he really didn't look that worried. “How are you not freaking out right now? We've only been together for a few months John and now I might be pregnant. I don't even know if you want kids and now we might have one. Christ, I don't even know if I want them.”

“Well you're wrong. I am freaking out a little Clara. But there's no point in both of us doing that. As for if I want kids, I did at one point in my life, but that wasn't in the cards. I thought my time had passed, and now you've made me realise that it could be a possibility.”

“You're happy about this?” She asked shocked.

“Well the timing is not the greatest, but if you're indeed pregnant I wouldn't be unhappy about it.” He said as he took her hand. “I love you and that's what's going to make this okay.”

“John, I love you too, but I just don't know if I'm ready to be a mum or if I ever want to be.”

The timer went off on her phone and she looked at John as they both got up and walked towards the bathroom to see what the future had in store for them.


	36. Chapter 36

Clara walked into the washroom, picked up the stick and felt a wave of relief wash over her as she saw the little negative sign.  She showed it to John, who despite being okay with the idea, was relieved as well, although perhaps not as much as Clara. 

“Thank god.”  Clara said as she sighed and tossed the stick in the bin.  She looked at John and saw a slightly different look on his face.  “You okay?” 

“Yeah, why wouldn't I be.  You’re not pregnant so that's great.”  He said as he turned and walked back to the living room.  Clara followed him out not completely convinced that everything was fine. 

“You look like you might be slightly disappointed John.”   

“I'm not, okay.  Can we just eat now?”  He said trying to drop the subject. 

“We can, but I think we need to talk about this more.”  Clara said as she sat down at the table with him. 

“There's nothing more to discuss.  You're not pregnant and we're not having a child, so what more is there to talk about.” 

“Oh I don't know.  How about the fact that you're acting weird and I think you're a little sad that we're not going to be parents.” 

John put his fork down.  “I'm not sad Clara.  You're right, this isn't the right time to have a baby but for one brief moment I thought I was going to be a dad and that thought didn't terrify me.  It should.  I'm 58 for Christ sake.  But it didn’t.” 

“Okay.  So, are you saying that you want to have kids one day?”  She asked. 

“I don't know.  I might.”  He said as he looked at her.  “I wanted them before.” 

“What changed?”   

“My marriage.”  He looked down at his barely eaten dinner.  “Look we don't need to talk about it.”  

“John.” Clara said getting him to look at her again.  “We need to talk about this.” 

“I don't like talking about my past relationship with you.  You shouldn't have to hear about how things were with River.”  He said as he got up from the table and walked over to the couch. 

“Yes I should.  She was a major part of your life and your past, and you can't just forget that or pretend it didn't happen.”  She got up and went and sat next to him.  “Tell me what happened.” 

John took a deep breath preparing to open up to her.   

“Before we got married, we had talked about having kids.  We wanted a whole bunch of them, but that changed as time went on.  Whenever I would talk about trying, River would say not right now because the timing wasn't right or some other reason.  Eventually, we got older and I had to come to terms with the fact that I wasn't going to be a dad.” 

“I'm sorry.”  Clara said, not really knowing what else to say.   

“It's fine.  I came to that decision 15 years ago and I actually haven't thought about it for a very long time.”  He looked at Clara and smiled.  “I guess this just brought that back and made me realise that with you I could have that family I always wanted, but you're not sure if you do.” 

“It's just something that I hadn't really thought about.  I've never been with anyone that I could see myself marrying and starting a family with.”  John looked away from her at those words, but Clara brought her hand to his cheek and turned him to face her.  “Until you.”  John smiled at her.  “You’re the first man that I can see a future with and I've just realised that a short time ago.  So, in time the idea of a baby might come too, but that is a long way away.” 

“I know.  But you're not opposed to having this conversation again down the road?”  He asked. 

“I'm not.”  She smiled at him.  “Now come on, let's heat up our dinner and eat.” 

That night, Clara had the strangest dream.  She had dreamt that she was pregnant, not with a human baby but instead an alien.  She woke up and saw that John was fast asleep beside her, lightly snoring.  She got out of bed and went to get some water, hoping to shake her mind from the weird dream.  It was clear that the movie they watched before going to bed and the conversation they had had earlier was messing with her mind.  As she stood in the kitchen drinking she thought about the dream and how she had felt in it.  Happy.  She was happy to be pregnant, despite the alien aspect of it.  The idea wasn't so scary any more, still not the right time, but not terrifying.  She went back to bed and cuddled next to John, thinking about the future they could have. 

She was now dreaming that she and John were on a secluded beach.  The sun was  beating down on their bodies as they laid on a blanket on the sand.  The dream was so vivid she could hear the waves crashing against the shore and smell the sea salt in the air.  She was wearing a string bikini and John was wearing bathing trunks with his dark Rayban shades.  He rolled over and started kissing her, working his way down her body.  He stopped when he reached her breasts being sure to kiss each one and suck her nipples through the material of her suit.  He then pulled her up and tugged on the tie at her back, causing the material to hang loosely over her breasts.  He pushed it up and continued his assault on her bare breasts as he laid her back down on the blanket.  Once he had formed her nipples into hard peaks he moved further south, licking and kissing until he reached the top of her bikini bottoms.  Again he tugged on the strings and what little material there was fell away from her body.  He then positioned himself between her legs, pushing her thighs apart and opening her to him.  He started placing a tender kiss on her clit and then slowly began sucking on it.  Clara moaned at the feel of his mouth on her and didn't want to wake from this dream.  John continued to take his time devouring her and she wanted nothing more than to watch him.  She opened her eyes and when she did, they were no longer on the beach, but instead in John's bed and what he had been doing to her in her dream, he was doing in reality.  No wonder it felt so real.  She put her hand in his curls encouraging him to continue, as she was close to her release.  John plunged his tongue in and out of her as his nose rubbed against her clit.  Clara was moaning in ecstasy and soon screamed her release as she climaxed.   

“Good morning.”  John said as he looked up at her and smiled.  She lifted her head off the pillow and smiled back at him. 

“Good morning indeed.”  She replied.  “I was having the nicest dream, but turned out it wasn't a dream at all.” 

“Hmm.”  John said as he moved up Clara's body and laid next to her on his side facing her.  She rolled and mirrored his position.  “And in this dream, were we in bed?” 

“Nope.  On a beach.”  She replied. 

“That sounds nice.”   

“It was.”  She replied dreamily. 

“We should go to one some time.”  He said. 

“Well the weather isn't really that great for going to the beach now.” 

“No,” he chuckled.  “Not here, some place warm.  You know, take a vacation.” 

“That would be nice, but when?” 

“How about Christmas?  I have a break in shooting then and you have time off from work.” 

Clara hadn't really thought about that.  She always spent the holidays trying to avoid going to her dad's because of Linda, but would end up there anyway seeing as she had no where else to be.  This was actually a great idea! 

“That sounds perfect.”  She said as she leaned forward and kissed him. 

“Good, that's settled then.  You pick the location and I'll get my travel agent to book it.  Now, are you hungry?” 

“Starving actually.” 

“Alright.”  He said as he rolled out of bed and pulled on pajama bottoms.  “Breakfast, followed by more sex.” 

“More!?  I feel like that's all we've done this weekend.”  She said as she grabbed his t-shirt and threw it on as she followed him out. 

“Are you complaining about having too much sex?”  He asked. 

“Not complaining, just surprised that you want more.” 

“For the record.  I always want more.  And I'm not going to see you for a few weeks, so I need to get my fill of you while I can.” 

“Don't you mean  _I_ need to get  _my fill_ of you?”  She said pointing at herself and emphasizing I. 

He laughed at her joke.  “That too.” 

\------------ 

John was true to his word and they spent the rest of the day lazing about enjoying each other's company and bodies.  When the time came, John took Clara to the train station and said their goodbyes once again.  The next few weeks were going to be busy for him so they weren't going to see one another until he was back in London for a week off. 

When John got back to his flat, he went to the fridge and pulled out a beer and walked into the living room.  This place felt so empty now that Clara was gone, but at least now he could look around and have memories of her.  He picked up his sketchbook and began drawing and at first, he wasn't sure what until he realized it was Clara.  Of course, it was her.  That woman had consumed his thoughts from the first moment he laid eyes on her.  Suddenly there was a knock at his door, which brought him out of his drawing trance.  He had no idea who would be at his place on a Sunday night, so he got up to find out. 

“What are you doing here?”  He asked as he opened the door. 

“Hello to you too.”  The person said.  “Just thought you could use a friend.” 

“Come in.”  John said as he opened the door wider. 


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Thanks so much for following along and giving me such amazing feedback. I apologise for the delay in update, but work is very stressful right now and has caused me to lose my focus. Thanks for sticking with me!

"Can I get you a beer?"  John asked as Michael entered the flat.

"Sure, that would be great."  He answered as he took a seat in the living room.  "I assume that Clara left already."

"About half an hour ago."  John said as he walked in and handed him a beer.  "So, what makes you think I could use a friend?"

"I know how tough it can be being away from the people you love.  Figured this is new for you and you might want someone to talk to.  Or not doesn't matter."  

"It's weird really how, when we were shooting just a few months ago, I didn't mind being here.  Sure, I missed home, but there was nothing for me there.  Now all I can think about is how I would rather be there than here."

"I understand that.  It's also the other reason I wanted to come and see you, away from set."  Michael said as he took a drink of his beer.

"I knew there had to be more.  You're not much for emotions and sentiment."  John said 

"True.  I know your contract is up at the end of this season, and you'll soon head into negotiations.  Try not to let what is happening back home and here affect what you want to do." 

“What do you mean?” John asked.

“Well, it's a new relationship John.  I remember what it was like when Jackie and I started dating, we couldn't get enough of one another and had I been in your position then, I wouldn't have wanted to be away from her."  Michael stated.

"Sure.  It is tough, but I think I'm handling it.  Do you think my work is suffering because of it?"

"No not at all.  From what I've seen so far, you've been great as always.  Which is why I want you to stay for at least one more season.  All I'm saying is that there is a lot going on that could be factors in the decision you make about staying or leaving, don't let them be.  I know it's not going to be easy being away from Clara and having to be here with River, but remember why you love this job."

"I will do my best, but the biggest factor would be River, not Clara.  I'll be honest I'm not sure how this is going to go."  John said. 

"I know.  All I ask is that you try and get along.  If it helps, try and think about the fact that if she never did what she did to you, you might still be married to her and you never would have met Clara.  So in a way, she did you a favour."

"I guess that's one way to look at it."  John replied.  "I just thought she was out of my life, so for her to come back has been tough.  Anyway, enough chatter about that, I want to know what's going to happen in the next episode."

\------------

John was glad that Michael had come to talk to him and knew the next day why he had picked Sunday night to do it.  Donna called him the next day to tell him that the studio wanted to extend his contract for two more seasons and they wanted to start negotiations if he was interested.  He wasn't sure what to tell her because he didn't want to make that decision right now.  She told him he had about a month to make a decision because they needed to know how to finish the current season.  He had a lot of thinking to do in the next few weeks and it was probably a good thing that Clara wouldn't be around to distract him.

Shooting continued for the next week and John really enjoyed getting back into it again.  They had just wrapped for the day and he was talking with Michael when River walked onto the set.  Tomorrow was going to be the first day he would have a scene with her and he wasn't looking forward to it one bit.  

“Hello sweeties!” She said as she greeted the men as if they were all old friends.

“Hi River.  What brings you by today?” Michael asked as he hugged River.

“I was hoping to talk to John before we shoot tomorrow.”  She replied as she looked at John.

“Well we were just finishing here.  Perhaps the three of us could go for dinner.”  Michael suggested, knowing that John wouldn't want to be alone with her.

“I kind of wanted to talk to John alone, Michael.” She responded and then turned back to John again.  “If it's okay with you?”

John had been avoiding being alone with her, but he knew that they should talk and it would be better to do it before they start shooting.

“Fine, but we do it here.  I'm not going for dinner or drinks or anything else.”  John said.

“Okay.” River agreed.

Michael gave John a look and John nodded at him that it was okay, so he excused himself leaving the two on their own.  John walked over to some of the chairs that were off set and River followed him.

“Let me start by saying I'm sorry.”  River said.

“And what exactly are you sorry for because there's a long list and you’ve never apologised for any of it.”  John replied coldly.

“That's fair.  Let's start for the way I've been behaving since I returned.  I missed you and when I came back and saw that you're dating someone, I kind of freaked out and perhaps came on too strong and a little mean towards Carol.”

“Clara.  Her name is Clara and you damn well know that.”  John said angrily.

“Sorry.”  River winced at the rise in his voice. “Look, I'm going to be honest with you.”

“Well that would be a first in a long time.”  John interrupted her.

“I made a huge mistake John.  I should have never cheated on you or treated you the way I did and for that I'm truly sorry.  We had something good and I threw it away.”

“That you did.”  John replied.  “I appreciate the apology, but it doesn't change how I feel about you.”

“And how do you feel?”  She asked.  “Do you really hate me?”

“I don't hate you River, but I don't like you.”  He answered honestly.  

“Is there any chance that we can be friends?  You were my best friend and we shared so much.  Surely there's some part of you that remembers that.  Remembers the good times that we shared and the fun we had.”  River said as she reached out to touch his knee.  

John stood up to put some distance between them.  

“Of course I do.  That's why it hurt so much.  Why I was so unhappy.  We were supposed to be forever.  We were supposed to have a family.  And you threw that all away, as if none of it, as if I wasn't important to you."

“But you were John,  you still are.”

“You had a funny way of showing it.”  He replied.  Just then he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and pulled it out to see that it was Clara.  “I need to take this.”

“Let it go to voicemail.  We're not done yet.”  River said, but John answered the phone anyway.

“Hi.”  He said into the phone, trying his best to sound happy for Clara.

“Hey sexy old man.”  She said, which made John smile.  “Is this a bad time?”

“No, actually it's a perfect time.”  He said as he looked at River.  “But can you just give me a few minutes to finish something and get to a more private place to call you.  Say in about ten minutes?”

“Absolutley, I was just about to get in the bath with a glass of wine.” 

“Thanks for the imagery.”  He said as he smiled into the phone.

“Any time.”  She replied.  “Talk to you in a bit.”

John hung up from Clara and looked at River.  “This is done.  We're both professionals so I know that we can have a working relationship, but there's nothing outside of this job.”

“If that's what you want, then that's what it will be.”  River said.

John raised an eyebrow at her, skeptical of her sudden change in attitude.

“I'm being honest John.  I was too pushy when I got back and I realise that's not the way back into your life, so we'll do it your way.”  She said.  “But I will prove to you that I'm a changed woman, the woman you once fell in love with.”

“It doesn't matter River, I've moved on.”  He replied.  “I love Clara, River, and nothing is going to change that.  Now I've gotta go and call her back.”

He walked out of the studio, hoping that she would finally put an end to the idea that she was going to get him back, but knew her well enough that she likely wouldn't.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for your support! You guys are the best! My updates will be a bit longer since work is very time consuming, but believe me this story is what keeps me sane these days so it will be updated!

John was very excited to be back in London. It had been a long few weeks of shooting and he was looking forward to having a week off and time away from River. She had stayed true to her word and kept things professional between them, but she would try and engage him in light conversation during down time. He would do his best to avoid her, but there were times when he just couldn't because they were stuck on set together. During these times he could catch the odd glimpse of the woman he married, but it was by no means enough to make him like her. In fact, he still very much disliked her and couldn't trust her at all.

He had arrived home and wasted no time in getting over to Clara's flat. He had found out last minute that he could come home on Friday instead of Saturday and decided not to tell Clara about the change in plans. He wanted to surprise her by making a romantic dinner for her when she got home from work and spent most of the afternoon preparing for the evening. He had just put a lasagna in the oven and looked at his watch to see that Clara should be home in about half an hour, just enough time to set up some romantic lighting. He found some candles in a drawer and started placing them around her living room. He stopped and smiled when he saw that she had added new pictures of the two of them to her bookshelf. There was a selfie that she had taken when they had gone for a walk along the Thames, and of course the first photo they had taken together at the comic con. It warmed his heart to see that he was now included with the people she treasured most in her life. He moved on from the living room and went to add some romance to her bedroom.

Clara had never been so happy to leave work. The weekend had finally arrived and John was going to be home the next day. They talked every day, but it wasn't the same as being able to wrap her arms around him and cuddle on the couch talking about their day. As she walked down the hall towards her flat she could smell something delicious and wondered which one of her neighbours was cooking. As she got closer to her door she could have sworn that the savoury aroma was coming from her place. She put her key in the door and opened it to not see a dark room, but the soft glow of candles. She walked in and saw John standing there with the most gorgeous smile, one that she knew was only for her.

“Welcome home.” He said.

Clara threw her keys on the side table and dropped her bag, wasting no time in getting to him and pulling him into a passionate kiss. They slowly reacquainted their lips as hands found spots they knew the other liked to be touched.

“I missed you.” Clara said as she pulled away needing a moment to catch her breath.

“Ditto.” He said as he pressed his forehead to hers.

“You're also a day early and ruined my surprise.” She said as she pretended to pout.

“Well I can always leave and come back tomorrow.” He said as he pulled away with a smile and took a step towards the door as if he were actually going to leave. Clara grabbed his arm to stop him.

“Oh no. You're not leaving my sight for the next week.” She said as she wrapped her arms around him and he gladly returned the hug.

“So what was the surprise you were going to give me?” He asked as he pulled away to go check on dinner. Clara followed him into the kitchen.

“Well you're just going to have to wait now.” She replied. John gave her a questioning look before he looked at the lasagna.

“Fine. Looks like its going to be another hour before it's ready.” He said.

“That's fine.” Clara said as she grabbed some wine glasses and then a bottle of wine. “We can chat about work.”

They went back into the living room and sat together on the couch drinking their wine while Clara told John about work and how she had gotten together with Jackie for dinner one night.

“She's really great fun and the boys are so nice too.” She said.

“That's great. I'm glad that you two are getting along because I've always liked Michael and Jackie. They’re really down to earth and that's hard to come by in this industry.” John replied.

“So speaking of your industry, have you decided about your contract yet?” She asked.

“No.” He replied. “I'm really torn.”

“Have you weighed all the factors and the reasons why you’re torn?”

“No. To be honest I haven't thought about it much.” He answered.

“Don't you need to give Donna an answer soon?” She asked.

“Yes. By the end of this week.”

“Well let's do it now, while we wait for dinner.” She suggested.

John shifted on the couch to turn his body more towards Clara's and ran his hand up her thigh.

“I'd rather do something else while we wait for dinner.” He replied as he leaned down and placed soft kisses on her neck. Clara couldn't help but sigh at the sensation and tilted her head to give him better access.

“You're avoiding the issue.” She said while she moved her hand to the back of his head to start playing with his soft curls.

“Yes, but isn't this a better way to spend our time.” He said between kisses.

“I can't argue with that.” She said.

He looked at her and smiled before he captured her lips with his. The two continued snogging on the couch until the timer went off in the kitchen. John reluctantly pulled away from Clara, who was currently laying underneath him, and looked down at her.

“To be continued.” He said as he got up and adjusted his clothing. Clara did the same and followed him into the kitchen to help him finish dinner.

After they ate, they moved to the couch to finish their wine and pick up where they left off before the timer interrupted them. It wasn't long before things started getting more heated, so they moved into the bedroom and made love until they were both feeling satiated and blissful. Clara had easily fallen asleep wrapped in John's arms, but he was currently having a difficult time doing the same. The decision he had to make was starting to weigh on him and he knew that Clara was right, he needed to put more thought into it. He looked down at the woman he loves and decided to take her advice. He gently eased her out of his arms and slid out of bed, pulling on his boxers that had been left on the floor.

He walked into the living room and turned on the desk lamp while he sat down. He opened the top drawer to find a pad of paper and pen and wrote the words pros and cons at the top. Then he just stared at it thinking about what to write.

Clara woke up and was surprised to see she was alone. For a brief moment she thought that she had just dreamt John being there, but then she realized she was naked and she never slept starkers without him. She got up and grabbed his t-shirt, pulling it on over her to go look for him. Her flat wasn't big so she didn't have to go far to see him sitting at her desk. She approached him and laid her hands on his shoulders while she kissed the top of his head.

“Why aren't you sleeping?” He asked as he reached for one of her hands and brought it around to place a kiss on it and then placed it over his heart.

“I was going to ask you the same.” She replied.

“I couldn't sleep. Thought I might take your advice and think about the reasons I'm having a hard time deciding what to do.”

Clara looked down at his list and saw that he had nothing written under his two headings.

“And I can see that's going really well. Come on.” She said as she took his hand and led him to the couch. She sat at one end and John laid down using her lap as a pillow. She immediately started to run her hand from his temple into his curls.

“What's the main reason you're torn?” She asked.

“You.” He replied simply.

“Me? Why would I be a factor?”

“Because I miss you while I'm gone. I miss this.”

“Well I do too, but I don't want to be the reason you don't continue. Yes the distance is hard, but we can make it work.” She said.

“It's easy to say now when we've only been doing this for a short time, but what's it going to feel like eight months from now.”

“Probably just as hard and I'll be ready for you to come home, but you still shouldn't let a new relationship dictate your professional future.” She explained as she continued stroking his hair. “I love you John and I'm not going anywhere, so if I'm the only reason you don't want to continue then I think your decision has been made.”

“You really aren't going to let me make you a factor.” He said.

“Nope. I love you in this role and I don't want to be the reason you leave it, so what else is there?” She asked.

“River.” He answered.

“Okay. Now that I will allow.” She said. “But I thought she has been professional since you talked.”

“She has, but I still hate working with her, mostly because I don't trust her.”

“That makes two of us, but you can't let her push you out of a job you love doing. Do you still love what you're doing?”

“Yes.” He replied.

“Well then I think you have your answer. Talk to Donna tomorrow, but I think you should start negotiations.” She told him.

“Okay. If you insist that I leave you for long stretches, I'll continue with the role.” He said as he sat up and smiled at her.

“Well I don't insist, but the sex we have is amazing when we see each other again.” She stood up and grabbed his hand again.

“Are you saying it's not the other times?” He questioned as he let her lead him back to her bedroom.

“No because it's always good. In fact, you're the best shag I've ever had.”

“I find that hard to believe.” He said as he got back into bed.

“Believe it.” She answered as she joined him and cuddled next to him as he wrapped his arm around her. “I haven't been with many men, but the ones I was with were boring. You know, only having sex in a bed, being gentle and loving, which was nice, but I always wanted a little more. With you, there's a nice mix of tenderness and passion.”

“Well I'm glad that we share that because sex should be fun and exciting.” He said as he kissed her forehead. “Thank you for helping me work this all out.”

“You're welcome.” She said as she yawned. “Now go to sleep.”

“Yes boss. I love you.” He said.

“Love you too.” She responded as she drifted off to sleep.

  
The next day, John called Donna and told her that he wanted to start negotiating, but that he only wanted to agree to one more season. He wasn't sure how things would be in his life at that point so he didn't want to get locked into something for too long. Donna was happy that he had finally made a decision and said she would call the BBC first thing Monday morning. They also made a plan for him and Clara to have dinner with her and Lee while he was home.

He ended his call and went into the kitchen to grab another cup of coffee and saw that Clara was on the phone.

“I'm not sure, I'll have to check.” She said as he walked in. “Hold on, he just walked in.”

She moved the phone away from her mouth and covered the speaker. “Amy wants to know if we want to have dinner at their place tonight.”

“Sure.” He said as he grabbed the coffee pot.

“Okay Amy, we'll be there. What time?”

John leaned back on the kitchen counter and took a sip from his coffee. He felt so happy and peaceful, sharing this domesticity with Clara. She finally ended her call and refilled her coffee cup as well.

“So she said to be there by six.”

“Okay. It's 11 now, so whatever could we do to kill time until then.” He said as he grinned and wagged his eyebrows at her.

“Down tiger. I need to do some shopping.” She said as she giggled and shook her head in disbelief at his libido. “Are we camping out here for the week, or your place?”

“Whatever's easier for you. You're the one who has to work.”

“Here it is then. So I need to pick up some food. Do you want to stay here or come with me?” She asked.

“You'll need help with the bags since you're feeding two, so I'll come.”

“Alright. But first, shower.” She said as she finished her coffee and put the mug in the dishwasher. She walked out of the kitchen and noticed that John wasn't following her.

“You coming?” She asked.

“I thought you said no sex.” He answered as he set his cup on the counter.

“I implied no all day sex. I have no objection to shower sex.” She replied as she started walking in the direction of the bedroom, with John quickly following.

  
“That was a delicious meal Amy.” John said as he put his napkin on the table.

“Yes, thank you so much for inviting us over.” Clara echoed John's appreciation.

“Oh any time. I'm sorry I forgot that you were coming back this weekend John. I know Clara probably wanted you to herself and was too polite to decline my offer."

“That's okay. She had me to herself last night and again this morning.” He answered as he winked at his girlfriend.

“John!” Clara said as she playfully slapped his arm. “Amy and Rory don't need to hear about that.”

Amy and Rory both laughed and looked at each other. “It's okay Clara. Once upon a time we were like that too. Enjoy it now because when you get married, it definitely slows down.” Amy said causing Clara choke on her wine as she was taking a drink.

“Amy!” Rory exclaimed. “She didn't mean when you two get married, just married in general.”

“Yeah, okay that's what I meant.” Amy said as she looked at John who was only trying to hide his smile from behind his wine glass.

“It's okay.” Clara said. “It's going to be a long time before we think about that.”

“Yeah, especially if it means the sex stops.” John added.

“Well at least until you start trying to have a baby.” Rory said.

“Wait, are you guys trying?” Clara asked. Amy had told her that she and Rory were thinking about trying, but not that they had actually started.

“Correction, were trying.” Amy said as she smiled at Rory.

“Oh my god Amy!” Clara squealed as she jumped up from her seat to hug her best friend. “When? How long?”

“I'm not that far along. We've only told our parents so far, so you have to keep it to yourself.” Amy said.

“Absolutely! Oh I'm so happy for the two of you.” She said as she hugged Rory before she sat back down.

“Yes. You two will make great parents.” John added.

The foursome continued to talk about the news and how easy it was to get pregnant once they decide to start trying. Rory admitted that he was a little disappointed it happened so fast because he was looking forward to having to try longer, but in the end he was thrilled to become a dad.

When the night was over, John and Clara were in a cab on their way back to Clara's. She couldn't help but notice that John seemed a little quiet.

“What's going on inside that mind of yours?” She asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

“Oh nothing really.” He said as he turned and looked at her. “Just thinking about how excited Amy and Rory are.”

“They really are. I haven't seen Amy that excited since her wedding day.” Clara said as she reached for John's hand. She knew this night had brought back thoughts of their pregnancy scare and that he was likely thinking about that, but she wasn't ready to have that conversation again, so she decided to change the subject.

“So I've been researching beach holidays and I'm having a hard time deciding on where we should go.” She said.

“Yeah, what places have you thought about?” He asked.

“Spain, Greece, or the Caribbean.” She answered. “I can show you tomorrow what I've come up with, if you want.”

“That sounds good. Then maybe you can model some swimsuits for me.” He said as he smiled at her.

She was glad that the change in subject seemed to bring him out of his thoughts and they continued to chat about their holiday until they got home, all thoughts of babies out of their minds.

The next morning they sat on the couch together looking at different websites trying to decide on where to go. After about an hour they had finally chosen a resort on St. Lucia that offered suites with private patios with waterfall pools. Clara would never have chosen such a luxurious place to stay, but John insisted that if they were going to a beach he wanted it to be as romantic and secluded as possible. He called his travel agent to see what she could do in booking the trip and an hour later it was all set.

“Our first trip together!” Clara said excitedly.

“It is.” John said returning her enthusiasm. “I can't wait to get you all to myself for one whole week.”

The two curled up together on the couch watching TV, but John wasn't really paying attention. His mind had drifted to the woman that was in his arms and how happy he was when he was with her. He had no doubt in his mind that Clara was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and maybe this holiday was the perfect place to ask her.

 


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a thank you for your patiences, here's a juicy chapter for you. Mild kink and smut ahead so this is NSFW :)

It was Saturday night and John's last night with Clara before he went back to Cardiff.  They had gone back to his house so that he could pack a few things and Clara could do some laundry.  It was going to be a couple of weeks before she would be able to come and see him, so he wanted tonight to be a memorable one for her and him, but mostly her.  He remembered one of the fantasies they had talked about and he wanted to make it a reality.  He took the opportunity while she was down in the kitchen to prepare some things in the bedroom before he went down to find her. 

“Hey, I was thinking we could order Thai for dinner.”  She said as he entered the kitchen where she was flipping through take out menus while standing at the island. 

John walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and nuzzled her neck.  “That sounds great.  Do you want to order now, I'm famished.” 

“I can tell by the way you're nibbling on me.”  She said, while she giggled.  “But are you famished for me or food?” 

“Both, but I am hungrier for food, so let's eat first and then I'll ravish you second.”  He answered as he let her go and took his phone out of his pocket. 

After they had dinner, they were relaxing on the couch listening to some David Bowie.  John was trying to savour the moment as he knew it was going to be a long time before she was in his arms again. 

“This is nice.”  Clara sighed.   

“It is.”  John replied as he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. 

“Hmmm, that's even nicer.”  She said as she looked at him dreamily. 

John stood up and extended his hand to Clara. 

“Come on.  I have a surprise for you.”  He said. 

“Ooh I like surprises.”  Clara responded as she let him lead her up the stairs.  “Is it a puppy?  Did you buy me a puppy?” 

John laughed, “No I didn't buy you a puppy.” 

They walked into his bedroom and Clara looked around but couldn't see anything different.  John didn't say anything, but instead walked over to his dresser to light some candles casting the room in a soft glow and the familiar scent of wood sage and sea salt.  He opened a drawer and when he turned towards Clara, she could see that he was holding a silk black scarf. 

“You once said that one of your fantasies was being tied up.  Do you still have that dream, Clara?”  He asked as he moved towards her. 

“Yes.”  She answered easily. 

“Good because I want so badly to give you the most intense orgasm you've ever had.”  He was now standing in front of her and leaned forward to whisper in her ear.  “I'm going to make you come so hard that you're going to beg me to stop.” 

Clara could instantly feel herself getting wet at the thought and with the feel of his hot breath in her ear.  She loved this side of him.  Loved how easily turned on she could get by just his words. 

“You seem pretty confident.” 

“Oh I am.”  He said.  “Now the question is, how much control are you willing to  give up?” 

“That depends, what do you plan on doing with this scarf?”  She asked as she reached for it.  John let her touch it, but didn't let go of it. 

“I was hoping to blindfold you.”  He said as he leaned in and placed a couple of soft kisses below her ear.  “Would it be okay if I did that?” 

“Yes.”  She answered.  “But what are you going to tie me up with?”   

He walked over to one corner of the bed where he had attached a red silk scarf, similar to the black one, but longer.  He lifted it up and showed her and suddenly Clara felt even more turned on imagining herself tied to John's bed. 

“There's another one on that corner.”  He said.  “Would you like me to tie you up before I blindfold you or after?” 

“After.”  She said.  She liked that John was letting her make decisions before she gave up control to him.   

John smiled at her and then leaned forward and kissed her.  At first it was slow and tender, reminding her that he will always be caring, no matter what they did in bed.  She wrapped her arms around his neck, while his hands were on her waist and then he slowly moved them up taking her t-shirt with them.  He lifted it over her head, and licked his lips at the sight of what was clearly a new bra.  There was a black lace band that ran underneath the underwire, but the cups were open, leaving her breasts exposed and pushed up. 

“This is new.”  He said as he reached out to trail a finger around a taut nipple. 

“You like it?”  She asked. 

“What do you think? “He asked in return as he grinned and looked down at his groin.  Clara quirked an eyebrow at him as she followed his eyes and saw the distinct bulge in his trousers.   

“I fucking love it.”  He said as he took the other peak between his lips and sucked. 

“Mmmm, gooood.”  She moaned. 

John continued sucking, alternating from one peak to the next, while his hands went to the top button of her jeans and unfastened them. 

“Is there also something new hidden here as well.”  He said as he pushed her trousers down to reveal a pair of tiny black lace panties that were made with just enough material to barely cover her. 

“I like these too.”  He said, as she stepped out of her jeans.  “It's like I've unwrapped a present.” 

“Well I thought I would share with you the surprise you ruined before you go.” 

“Thank you.”  He replied.  “You can surprise me with lingerie any time.” 

“Noted.” She said as she reached for the buckle on his trousers. 

“Oh no, Ms. Oswald.  No touching.”  He said as he grabbed her hands.  “I'm in control now and you need to get on the bed.”  

Clara did as she was told and laid down.  John sat on one side and leaned over her and used the tip of his tongue to swirl around her hard nub of her perky breast.  He reached across her to take the other nipple between his fingers and gave a light twist.  Clara moaned and instinctively moved her hand to the back of his head, which caused him to stop.   

“I said no touching.”  He said as he reached for the scarf attached to the bed and started tying it around her right wrist.  He made sure to not tie it too tight, but not lose enough that she could slip her hand out.  He then got up and walked around to the other side of the bed and repeated his actions.  Clara watched him intensely and was actually getting more turned on once her wrists were restrained.   

“Okay?”  He asked when he finished. 

“Yes.”  She answered as she looked from arm to arm and then back at John who was eyeing her up, while admiring his work. 

“Good.”  He replied as he walked to the foot of the bed.  “Fuck Clara, you look so hot.” 

John stripped out of his clothes while Clara watched him hungrily.  Once he had removed the last item, she could see how hard he was and wanted so badly to crawl to the end of the bed and take him into her mouth.  Instead she licked her lips, which didn’t go unnoticed by him, so he took his rod in his hand and began stroking it. 

“You want my cock, don't you?” 

“Always.”  She sighed.   

 “Well you're going to have to wait because tonight is about your pleasure.”  He moved to pick up the black satin scarf.  “Are you ready to be blindfolded?” 

“Yes.  But can I just have a little taste of your cock before you do?” 

“Well you've been very good so far, so okay.”  He said as he grabbed his member and positioned it in front of her mouth.  Clara leaned forward and swept her tongue over the tip and then slowly moved her lips down his shaft as she engulfed him.  She then sucked as she slowly moved back up and finished by swirling her tongue around the head. 

“Oooooh.”  He sighed. 

Clara grinned at him pleased with herself that she was able to render him speechless. 

“Thank you.”  She said.  “I'm ready now.” 

John knelt on the bed and kissed her as he covered her eyes with the scarf and tied it behind her head.  He pulled his lips away and straddled her hips so that Clara could feel his erection against her flat stomach.  He then took one finger and trailed it slowly and lightly down her neck towards her cleavage.  He really did like this new bra, as he would often pull her breasts out of the cups to have his way with them, now he didn't have to do that.  He began circling her erect nipples with his finger dragging it from one to the other.  Clara was beginning to squirm and her breaths were longer. 

“Tell me how it feels.”  He told her. 

“So good.  You're barely touching me, but I feel so turned on.” 

“Good.  Be as vocal as you want sweetheart.  I want to know what you like and what you don't like.”  He said as he leaned down and replaced his finger with his tongue. 

He was ever so slowly sliding the tip of his tongue along the same path his finger had been following, causing Clara to moan at the change in sensation. 

“Oh John.  More.”  She exclaimed. 

He sped up his actions and stopped at each nipple to suck and nip at them with his teeth.  He felt her respond to the light pressure, so he decided to move a hand to the one breast and gently pinch the hard bud while he mouthed the other. 

“Harder!”  She exclaimed as she started to move against her restraints. 

He moved a little further down her body and began placing light kisses on her stomach, while he pinched both her nipples.  He made sure to change the pressure he used from hard to soft, especially once he noticed Clara's breathing change again.   

“God John!” 

He slid his hands down her torso as he moved his body further down, pressing his lips softly to her skin as he went.  He reached the top of her knickers and she began moving her hips trying to get him closer to the target. 

“Patience sweetheart.”  He said as he placed kisses on her mound.  

“You're driving me wild John.”  She said. “Please!”   

“Please what?” 

“Touch me.”  She begged. 

“I am love.”   

“Not like that.”  She whined.  “I want to feel your tongue.” 

He hooked his fingers into her pants and pulled them down and off.  He stood at the foot of the bed and stroked his cock, admiring the stunning woman.  He could see how turned on she was by the wetness between her legs.  He continued stroking as Clara began to wiggle her hips, desperate to be touched. 

“Damn it John!  I know you're here.  I can hear you wanking.”  She said as she was growing frustrated that he hadn't touched her after removing her knickers.  Her senses were heightened since she couldn't see anything.  She could hear more, feel more and smell more.   

“Sorry love, couldn't help it.  You're just so fucking beautiful.” 

She felt the bed shift then suddenly both his hands were on each of her legs as they travelled from her ankles to her knees.  Once there he pushed them apart, opening her wider for him, which she gladly let him do.  His hands began moving again, but this time she felt him kissing her inner thighs as he crawled further up. She anticipated that his next move would be to finally touch her core, but instead she felt soft air blow over her clit.  It was a mixture of warm and cool, a sensation she had never felt before. 

“Ooooh, that feels nice, but not as nice as your tongue would feel.”  She said. 

She heard John chuckle, but he didn't say anything.  He just continued to blow, alternating between strong and soft.  She began tugging on her ties as she was desperate to be touched.  She arched her back in an attempt to thrust her hips up, but John placed a strong arm across her abdomen, holding her down.   

“John Smith for the love of Christ will you stick your fucking tongue in my fucking pussy!”  She yelled in frustration. 

John grinned as it was the most vulgar he had ever heard her during sex and he had been trying to work her up to that.  He rewarded her by finally taking a finger and running it through her wet folds a few times and then sucked her hard clit into his mouth. 

“Oh fucking yes!”  She screamed at finally being touched.  John had gone down on her a lot, but it had never felt like this.  She was sure she was going to explode any second.  He swirled his tongue around and around, sucking up all she could give. 

John looked up and saw Clara wrestling against her restraints while her chest was heaving up and down.  Her moans  were becoming louder and louder.  He knew she was in the throes of an orgasm and decided to turn it up a notch, by thrusting a finger inside her and started massaging her g spot. 

“Fuck John!”  She screamed.  “I'm so close!” 

He stopped all of his actions and sat up not wanting her to come just yet. 

“Aghhhh!  What the bloody hell John!”  She screamed.  “I was about to…” Her words were cut off when she suddenly felt his hard shaft plunge into her. 

“Ohhhh god yes!”  She exclaimed. 

“Fuck Clara you're so wet.”  He said as he was slowly thrusting in and out, being sure to pull all the way out before entering her again. 

“And you're so fucking hard.”  She said through laboured breaths. 

“That's what you do to me.”  He leaned forward and took a breast into his mouth and began sucking and  biting at her nipple. 

“I want to see you.”  She said and without stopping any of his actions, John pulled her blindfold off. 

“Oh fuck this is hot.” 

“I know, that's why I'm so hard.”   

He kissed her passionately and began penetrating her faster and harder. Clara pulled on the scarfs and began meeting him thrust for thrust.  She was whimpering at the need for a release and so desperately wanted to grab John to pull him in further.  John groaned as he could feel her pulsing around his cock and knew that she was very close to the release she was longing for.  He began to rub his thumbs over her nipples and then pinched and twisted them, sending her over the edge as she screamed and convulsed around him.  John sat up on his knees, grabbing her hips and continued pounding into her and he soon exploded deep inside her before collapsing on top of her trying to get his breathing under control.  He reached up and undid the ties that had been holding her in place and then rolled to his side, wrapping Clara in his arms as he did.  She sat up for a moment to take her bra off and then got right back into his arms. 

“How do you feel sweetheart?”  John asked as he rubbed her arms. 

“Like I've been thoroughly fucked.”  She answered.  “And a bit like jello.”   

“So is it safe to say you enjoyed that?” 

“Oh yes, very much.” 

“Good.”  He said as he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. 

“Can I ask you something?”  She questioned. 

“Anything.”  He responded. 

“It seemed like that was something you had done before.”  She said hesitantly.   

“In a way.  I've never been the one to have the control.  She who shall not be named, never liked to give it up.” 

“Which position do you prefer?”   

“I did enjoy this very much.  It felt very good to know that I was the one to bring you so much pleasure and to have you beg for it.  But I would also like to give that control up to you some time as well.” 

“I would like that too.” She said.  “I like that we talk about this stuff.” 

“Me too.”  He agreed as he gave her a slow soft kiss.  “Now you need to tell me where you got that bra because I'm taking you shopping there next time I'm in town.” 

Clara laughed and told him about the shop she had gone to, but that they had an online store which might be a better option for him to use.  She told him that she had bought some other items, but those would be a surprise for another day.  They talked some more and it wasn't long before Clara found her hand that had been rubbing John's chest, was now trailing lower and lower until she started caressing his flaccid member. 

“Again?”  He questioned.  “I'm not sure if I can love.” 

“Well let's see if I can blow some life into it.”  She said as she slid down his body and began working him with her tongue and lips.  Sure enough, that did the trick and the two spent the rest of the night pleasuring one another until they were both completely spent and fell happily asleep in each other's arms. 

The next day, they said their goodbyes back at Clara's and once again the duo were separated.  Clara sat in her living room and thought about her night with John and just how hard she had fallen for him.  She had never felt this way for another man and was sure she never would again.  It was this thought that terrified her.  This man who had been nothing but a mere fantasy a few short months ago was now the man she called hers and she still couldn’t quite believe it.  She was sure that it would all be taken from her and she wasn’t quite ready to fully commit to the idea that he could be the one.  Which was okay with her because she was in no rush to get married and was pretty sure John felt the same. 


	40. Chapter 40

A little more than a month had passed since John had been home for his week off.  Clara had managed to make it to Cardiff a couple of times, but the last visit was three weeks ago.  John was very excited that they had just wrapped for their Christmas break and in 72 hours he would have Clara all to himself in St. Lucia.  Right now, he just had to get through the Christmas party that he was currently getting ready for.  He had just gotten out of the shower and was shaving when his phone rang.

“Hello beautiful.”  He said as he hit the button for speaker phone.  

“Hey!  You sound happy.”  Clara said.

“I am.  I'm done work for a bit and tomorrow I'll be back home.”  He said as he wipes his face of traces of shaving cream.

“Yes, and then on a plane to tropical paradise.”  She added.  “So are you all ready for your party?”

“Almost.  Just need to get dressed.”  He answered as he walked into his bedroom.  “I also really wish you were coming with me.” 

“Me too, but kind of hard when it's on a Thursday night and I have work tomorrow.”  

“Yeah, I know.  Still doesn't mean I can't wish you were here.”  He said as he began getting dressed.

“Well one more sleep and you won't have to miss me anymore.”  She replied.  “I can't wait to get to the beach and show you my new bikini.”  

“I can't wait for that too, but since we have a private pool you won't necessarily be needing it.”

“Are you suggesting we go skinny dipping Mr. Smith?”  She asked seductively.

“What's the point of the privacy if we don't Ms. Oswald.”  He said with the same tone.  

“Cheeky.”  She answered.  “Well I won't keep you because I know you got to finish getting ready, but I'll see you tomorrow after I finish work.”

“Can't wait.  Love you.”  He said.  She returned the sentiment and ended their call.  John put the finishing touches on his outfit and then made his way to the party.

When he arrived he noticed there were a few photographers outside the bar where the party was being held, so he did his part and waved and smiled before entering the building.  Once he was inside he spotted Michael and made his way over to him, stopping to grab a drink along the way.

“I'm surprised you're here.”  Michael said.  “I would have thought for sure you'd be itching to get back to London.”

“I am, but I feel like it's part of my job to attend things like this.  What kind of star would I be if I didn't.”  He joked.  “What about you?”

“Meeting Jackie and the boys at Heathrow  tomorrow morning for a beach vacation.” He said.

“Nice.  Please don't tell me you're going to St. Lucia?”  John asked.  

“No, Cuba.  Why?”  

“Because Clara and I are leaving Saturday for St. Lucia and I don't want to be running into you.  No offence.” John said.

“None taken, but now I know why Jackie suddenly wanted to go to a beach.  She and Clara were likely talking about it.”

“Most likely.  Clara's been very excited about it since we started talking about it a couple of months ago.”

“So romantic beach holiday, any questions going to be popped while you're there.”

“Oh I don't think so Michael, but you never know Clara may get swept up in it all and decide to ask me.”

The two men laughed and continued chatting, but John's thoughts had gone back to a little sparkly item he had purchased after Clara's last visit.  He was suddenly brought out of that thought when Michael mentioned River's name.

“Sorry, what was that?”  John asked.

“Stop thinking about your girlfriend in a bikini, your ex-wife is heading this way.”  Michael said.  “Or on second thought it might be a good idea to continue thinking about Clara on a beach.”

“It's okay.  River has actually been quite respectful of my space the last little while.”  John said and sure enough River had gone to greet some people who were standing near John and Michael.

“Well I'm happy to hear that.  What changed?”

“Nothing changed.  I still very much dislike her, but I was honest with her about my feelings and how she needed to stop the antics because I'm with someone else now.” John told him.

“And that worked?”  Michael questioned.  “I find that highly unlikely.”

“I did too at first, but she's stayed true to her word.”  

“That's great.  I just hope it stays that way.”

“Agreed.  I'm going to go get another drink.  You want anything?”  John asked Michael.

“Nah, I'm good.  Going to go mingle a bit.  Talk to you later.”

John made his way to the bar and was waiting for the bartender when River appeared next to him.  

“Hi John.”  She said.

“Hi.”  He returned.

“So any plans for Christmas?”  She asked.

“Yep.  You?”  He replied not giving her any details.  

“I'm going to spend it with some family in London.  Do you remember my Aunt Gertrude?”

“How could I forget.  She pinched my cheeks every time I saw her as if I were a five year old.  How is she?”

“She's good.  Excited to have me home again.  She asks about you from time to time.”

“That's nice.  Please wish her a Happy Christmas from me.” 

The bartender appeared and took both their orders and then went off to get their drinks.

“So what are your plans for the holiday?” River asked while they were waiting.

“Going away.” He said.

“With Clara?”  River asked trying to get more details.

“Yes.”  John said a little shocked that she had actually used her correct name.

“That will be nice for the two of you.”  She said just as the bartender returned.  John looked at her a tad suspicious as to why she was being so nice.  “Oh come now.  Don't look at me that way.  I told you I would be respectful and I am.  I'm truly happy for you John and wish you nothing but the best.”

She grabbed her drink and leaned into him placing her hand on his upper arm and gave him a slow kiss on the cheek.  The action took John off guard and before he could react she had pulled away.  

“Happy Christmas John.”  River said as she walked away.

John turned back to the bar and picked up his drink.  He shook his head at the interaction, not wanting to waste any more of his night with River he walked in the opposite direction of her and found some of the crew members and started chatting with them.

\-----------

Clara was sitting in Amy's classroom running through a check list of things she needed to pack for her trip.  Amy was writing the list while Clara was dictating.

“Tell me again why I'm your secretary?”  Amy said.

“Because you are a good friend who asked if you could help.”  Clara said.

“True, I am a great friend.  Okay so we have clothes, bikini, toiletries, and books, so far.  Although I don't know why you're taking books because you and John are going to be shagging like rabbits the entire week.”

“Amy!”  Clara exclaimed.  “We're at work, keep your voice down.”

Amy laughed and was about to say something when Danny knocked on the open door, causing both girls to look at him.

“Sorry, I don't mean to interrupt, but I was wanting to talk to Clara.”  He asked.

“Anything you want to say to me Danny, you can say in front of Amy.”  She replied coldly.  

“Fine.  I just wanted to show you this.”  He said as he walked towards her holding his phone out.  Clara took it and looked at what was on the screen and immediately felt the bottom fall out of her stomach.  It was a picture of John and River and she had her hand on his arm and her lips pressed against his cheek.  Above the photo was a caption that read, “Reunited?”.  She knew why Danny was showing her this and didn't want to give him the reaction he was hoping for, so she tried to play it cool although she was freaking out inside.  

“And why are you showing me this?”  She questioned him, wanting to hear him admit what she already knew.

“What is it?”  Amy asked as she got up from her desk and walked over to look at the phone Clara was holding. 

“I just thought you should see what he gets up to when he’s away from you.”  Danny said.

“Really Danny, this is in the Daily Star.  Nothing in that rag is true and if you believe that you’re a twat.”  Amy said.

“I don’t care where it’s published, a picture doesn’t lie and that picture shows him kissing his ex-wife.”  Danny answered.

“Seriously Danny.  Have you ever heard of Photoshop?  I could make it look like you were kissing an ass, which is what you are.  Do you just troll the Internet looking for ways to hurt Clara?”  Amy retorted.  

“Stop it!  Okay.”  Clara said as she had had enough of their banter and wanted to be rid of Danny, so she could think.  She handed him back his phone.

“It means nothing Danny.  He hates his ex-wife and would never do anything to hurt me. Now take your phone and your sleazy Internet tabloids and go home.”

“Fine, but I’ll be sure not to say I told you so, when you find out otherwise.”  He said as he turned and left the room.

“What a fucking wanker.”  Amy said as he left.

“Amy, language.  We are still at work.”  Clara said as she sat down.

“I don’t care.  I can’t believe that he would intentionally try and upset you by showing you that rubbish.”  She said as she sat next to her.  “What do you think it was?”

“I don’t know.  It could have been taken at the party last night, but I just don’t know why John would let her get that close to him.”

“Clara, you can’t be thinking that this article is real?  He loves you.  Scratch that, I’ve seen the way he looks at you and he worships the ground you walk on.  From day one he has been crazy about you.”  Amy said as she tried to make Clara stop thinking about whatever she was thinking.

“I know, I just really hate that he’s around her so much.  I mean she probably knows him better than I do.”

“Stop it right now.  I can see what road you’re going down and as your best friend, and mother of your future niece or nephew, I will not allow it!  Go home and ask him about it and I’m sure he will be able to tell you exactly what that picture is.”  Amy ordered her.

“And he’s going to tell me it’s nothing.  I already know that.”

“So what are you afraid of?”  Amy asked her.

“I’m afraid that he’s spending all this time with her and she’s eventually going to worm her way back into his heart.  I know that she hasn’t been causing him any problems and I sense that his anger towards her is lessening.”

“Look I get it, long distance isn’t easy and this distance has the added bonus of an ex being involved.  But you know that John loves you and nothing or no one is going to change that.”

Just then Clara’s cell phone dinged and she looked down at the desk to see that John had sent her a message.

**John:  Hey beautiful!  Where are you?  I thought you would have been here by now.**

Amy was right, he really does love her and she does trust him, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that this was all just a dream.  She would never tell John just how much she hated him working with River or just how much she sometimes wished he had an ordinary job.  She always did her best to reassure him that it was okay when they were out and fans stopped them, but the deep down truth was that it still bothered her.  And this picture was just another reminder of why, someone looking to make a quick quid off a photo and the moment they stepped out in public the world was watching.  She loves John more than she has ever loved anyone, but sometimes she just didn't know if she could do this the rest of her life.

“It’s a message from John wondering where I am.  I should probably get going.”  She said to Amy.

“What are you going to do?”  Amy asked her as Clara got up from the desk and grabbed her bag.

“I don’t know Amy.  I really don’t know.”  She said as she walked out of the classroom.


	41. Chapter 41

Clara took the tube over to John's and on the way, she thought about what whether or not she was going to say something to him about the photo.  She knew deep inside that it was nothing, but it still bothered her to see River kissing him.  It also made her think about something that she hadn't really thought of before.  What if he got a different role one day that required him to kiss or do a love scene with another actor.  Would she be able to handle that?  She really didn't know.  She had never thought of herself as being the jealous kind, but she was starting to feel that way and she didn't like it.

She finally arrived at John's and decided she would just show him the picture and get his side of it.  That was the mature, adult thing to do.  However, when she opened the door, John was standing there with a giant smile, which instantly made her heart thump and her knees weak, and just like that all her negative thoughts were temporarily forgotten.  She had missed him so much that all she wanted to do was kiss him senseless and shag him until the sun came up.

“Hi.”  He said as he scooped her up into his arms.

Clara returned his hug and then placed her lips on his.  He moved his hands up her back and one of them into her hair as he returned her kiss with the same feeling of longing.

“I missed you.”  She said as she pulled away. 

“Me too.”  He replied and then took her hand to lead her into the kitchen where dinner was waiting.

“Sorry it's just take away.”  He said as they sat down.  

“That's okay.  Doesn't make sense to get groceries when we're leaving tomorrow.”  She replied.

“Excited?”  He asked.

“Yeah.”  She replied, but not as enthusiastically as John thought she should be.  The image of River kissing John popped back into her head and she was now back in the thoughts she was having earlier.

“You okay?”  He questioned.  

“I'm fine.”  She said, not sure if she wanted to open this can of worms yet.

“You sure?  Because you seem a little off, like something's on your mind.”  

Clara set her fork down and realised that it was probably going to be best to talk about it.  She grabbed her phone and pulled up the article Danny had shown her, then slid the phone over to John.

“Danny showed me that today.”

John picked up the phone and couldn't believe what he was looking at.  He quickly looked through the article and then noticed the website it was on.  One of those stupid tabloids that luckily not many people read unless you were Danny Pink.  

“Clara this isn't true.”  He said.  “It's complete rubbish.” 

“I know that John.  If I thought it was I wouldn't have walked in this house and kissed you, but it still bothers me that she's touching you, let alone has her lips on you.  How did this happen?”

“It was last night at the party.  I was waiting at the bar and she came up and started talking to me while I was waiting for my drink.  When she left, she caught me off guard by doing that.”  He said as he pointed at the picture.  “She was gone before I could even react.”

“Okay.”  She responded.

“But something else is bothering you.”  He said.  “Tell me what it is Clara because I can't fix it if you don't.”

“I'm jealous, okay!  She's trying to work her way back into your life and I'm afraid that she's going to succeed.  That one day I'm going to wake up and you're going to be gone.”

“Clara, I'm not going anywhere.  I love you and only you. It would be a cold day in hell before I even thought about getting back together with River.”  He said as he placed a hand on the side of her face.

“I just wish she had never come back.”  She took a deep breath unsure if she should tell him the rest of what was on her mind, how she disliked being away from him, and didn’t like the fame that came with his job.  This was a lot to talk about the night before they were to take a trip and decided to just stick with the one issue, River.    “I don't trust her John.”

“But do you trust me?”  He asked.

“Of course I do.”  She said.

“Then nothing is going to happen.”

“But….”

“No buts.  What do I have to do Clara, get down on one knee and propose?”

As soon as he said it he wished he hadn't.  Clara looked at him with shock and almost fear.

“God no John, it's way too soon for that.”  She said not sure if he were serious or just trying to get her to stop thinking so much.  

“Right.”  John said, not really sure how to take her statement.  “My point Clara is that I'm committed to you and no one is going to come between us, so put the thoughts of River out of your head.”  

“Okay.  Sorry I had a momentary freak out.”  She said as she began eating again.

“It's okay.”  He said as he did the same.  “After we eat, I'll call Donna and see if she can get to the bottom of that photo.”

“Okay.  Oh and the next time you want to propose could you perhaps be a tad more romantic.”  She said trying to lighten the mood.

“Yes boss.”  He said, more confused than ever because one second, she was saying it was too soon and the next she was telling him how he should propose.  He had no idea what to do.

\-----------

“Yeah, okay.  Thanks again Donna.”  

Clara woke up to the sound of John talking quietly on his phone.  She glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost time to get up as their flight was in 5 hours.

They had gone back to her flat after dinner, since John had finished packing and Clara still needed to finish.  While she had been packing, John had called Donna and told her about the article.  She said she would look into it because at that sort of party media weren't allowed in, so that meant that someone on the inside had taken the picture.  

“Did Donna find anything out?”  Clara asked.  John turned and smiled at her as he set his phone down on the bedside table.

“Not yet.  She just called to say she had some leads and that she would let me know if she finds anything out while we're away.  She also wanted me to tell you to make sure my pasty white arse gets some sun.”

“Gladly.  It is pretty white.”  She said as she smiled at him.

“Ha ha ha.  Laugh now, but it's going to be your job to lather sunscreen on it, otherwise this white arse is going to be red.”   

“Well we can't have your arse getting red can we, at least not from the sun anyway.”  She replied as she threw her covers off and walked in the direction of the bathroom.

“Right.  Wait, what?” He said a little shocked at her implication and followed her into the bathroom to join her in the shower.

They made it to the airport with a couple of hours to spare before their flight.  They were sitting in a coffee shop near their gate, chatting about the things they wanted to do on their trip.  Clara had done some research and found that there were some hikes they could take and different day excursions, all of which John agreed would be fun.  He didn't really care what they did as long as he was doing it with her.  They were just in the middle of looking at one of the waterfalls they could see, when a woman approached their table.

“I'm so sorry to bother you, but aren't you John Anderson?”  The attractive, fit woman in her 50s asked.

John looked up at her and smiled, the way he always did when a fan came up to him.

“I am yes.”  

“Oh, I just knew it, but my friend didn't believe me!”  She exclaimed excitedly while she waved her friend over.  “We have been fans of yours for years!”

John glanced at Clara and gave her the sorry look he gave her every time this happened.  She just smiled at him and sat back, giving him his spotlight.

“Thank you so much.”  He said as the woman's friend now joined them.  “Would you like a picture?”

“Oh my god yes!”  The first woman said as she handed her phone to her friend.  

John stood up and put his arm around the woman's shoulder, while the woman wrapped her arm around his waist and pulled him into her.  The friend snapped the picture and then they reversed spots.

“Maybe we could get a picture together.”  The first woman suggested.  “Perhaps your daughter could take it for us.”

That was it, Clara was already not enjoying watching the woman paw at her boyfriend, now she insults her by calling her his daughter.  She was about to correct the woman, and not in the nice way she should, when John spoke.

“I don't have a daughter.”  John said to the woman and then turned to Clara.  “Sweetheart would you mind taking a photo?”

“Not at all honey.”  She answered in an annoyingly sweet voice.  She stood up and took the woman's phone.  

“I'm so sorry.”  The woman said as she went to stand beside John.

Clara took the picture and then handed the woman her phone.  She thanked them, wished them a safe trip and then left with her friend.

“I'm sorry about that.”  John said as they sat back down.

“You have nothing to apologise for.”  Clara said as she took a drink of her coffee.  “I'm sure loads of people think it.  But the look on her face when you said you didn't have a daughter was priceless.  Her bubble burst right there.”

“What bubble?”  John asked.

“The fantasy bubble.  She was totally into you and until you called me sweetheart, she thought there was a tiny chance.”  Clara explained.

“Chance at what?”

“John!  You cannot be that daft!”  Clara exclaimed.  “She would have shagged you on this table if you had asked her to.”

“What?!  No!”  He said shocked.

“Yes!”  She replied back.  “You do realize that all of the women, and a few men I might add, that come up to meet you would jump at the chance to be with you.”

“No.”  He said.  “How do you know this?”  

“Because I was one of them once.”  She said.  “The only difference is that, I was fortunate enough for the fantasy to become a reality.”

“Your fantasy that has helped make other fantasies come true.”  He winked at her.  “I'm like the fantasy that just keeps on giving.”

“Okay, now it's going to your head.”  She said as she playfully slapped his hand that was holding hers across the table.  He smiled at her, but then suddenly the smile was gone.

“All kidding aside, does it really bother you when that happens?”   He asked sensing Clara's mood had shifted since the encounter.

Clara wanted to be honest and tell him, yes it bothered her when strange women wrapped their arms around him, but knew this wasn't the place or the time to have that conversation.  Plus what was the point since it was never going to change because he would never want to disappoint his fans.

“Sometimes, yes.  But I get it, so it's okay.”  She answered and then smiled at him.  “I know I have to share you with the world, John Anderson.”

“But John Smith is all yours.”  He said as he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips.

A short time later and the two were sitting in their business class seats near the front of the plane.  They were both happy that there were only 2 seats in their row and they didn't have to share it with anyone.  Once the plane took off Clara decided to watch one of the inflight movies and John decided to listen to music on his phone.  However, both of them weren't really focused on what they were doing.  

Clara's thoughts were on the adventure they were about to have and how nice it would be to be some place and have John all to herself with no distractions except each other.  No fans, no ex-wife, no ex-boyfriend, just the two of them and privacy.  Perhaps she would finally be able to clear her head of the negativity and focus on the man she loved.

John on the other hand was thinking about the little item he had packed in his carry on.  He still hadn't decided if he would give it to her on this trip or if he would wait, so he packed it just in case.  He knew that Clara wasn't being completely honest with him back at the airport and that the fan encounters bothered her more than she admitted.  He also knew that her mind was in a place right now that was causing her to have doubts and he certainly didn’t want to ask her to marry him if she were going to say no.  Instead, he decided that he would spend the week getting rid of those doubts and proving to her that there was no other woman in this world that he would rather be with than Clara Oswald.  


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's get this vacation started! Thanks for reading and commenting you guys really are the best! Just a warning, they are on vacation so the next few chatpers will be NSFW :)

Clara knew she was definitely spoiled and was probably ruined for all other trips they would take.  John had insisted that they book at a place called Serenity at Coconut Bay because of all the privacy it offered.  While they were researching he had found this place and liked the idea that if they wanted to, they would never have to see another human being, other than their own personal butler, for the entire trip.  They had a private entrance, with their own waterfall pool, wet bar, loungers and a shaded seating area where they could eat meals.  When you entered the room from the patio, you stepped into an open concept room, complete with 2 chairs, a plush blue couch and a wide screen TV.  In front of that was a king-sized four poster mahogany bed that faced out toward the patio and had two closets hidden behind a standalone wall.  Off to the side was an oversized soaking tub and a walk-in rain shower, both of which could easily fit two people.  Next to the shower was a his and hers vanity and a separate water closet.  Lots of fun was going to be had at this place for sure.

Currently, they were unpacking their clothes and getting settled in after planning their week with their butler.  Clara was unsure how she felt about the service, but after meeting him and discussing the things that they wanted to do and meals they wanted to have, she was feeling more excited and happy that everything was going to be taken care of for them.  All they had to do was relax.  They had asked him to bring their dinner around 7 just as the sun would be setting, so they would have a couple of hours to rest and freshen up.

“So shower or nap first?”  Clara asked as she was putting their suit cases in the closet.

“Definitely nap.  That hammock outside is calling me.”  John answered as he walked towards the patio.

“Think it's big enough for two?”  She asked as she followed him outside.

“Let’s see.”  John said as he laid down on it and pulled Clara down with him.  She squealed in surprise at the sudden action.  She rolled to his side and laid her head on his chest as they were wrapped in each other's arms swaying back and forth in the hammock.  

“I’d say it fits two people easily.”  John said.

“This is pretty perfect and I think by far the best Christmas I've ever had.”  Clara replied.

“I've actually almost forgot that Christmas is in two days.  Sure, doesn't feel like it in a place like this.”  John said as he yawned.

“Tired?”

“Yep, I’m definitely feeling the five hour difference.”  John glanced at his watch and noticed that it was five o’clock, which meant it was nine at night in London.  “Nap time.”  John said as he started rubbing Clara’s back.  It wasn’t long before the two fell asleep feeling completely at peace.

An hour later Clara was the first one to wake up.  She needed to use the bathroom but wasn't sure how to get out of the hammock without waking John.  She started by lifting his arm up and slipping out of his grasp, but sure enough he woke up.

“Where do you think you're going?”  He asked.

“Washroom and then a shower.”  She answered as she got up causing the hammock to sway.

“Okay then.  I'll be here swinging.”

He laid there for a bit with his eyes shut, but not actually sleeping.  The little nap was perfect and he felt like he had a bit more energy.  He heard the shower start from inside and decided he wasn't going to let an opportunity pass him by.  He got up and started stripping his clothes off as he walked towards the shower.  Once there he could see Clara through the doors, that were quickly getting fogged up.  

“This is nice.”  He said as he stepped inside.  “I may have to redo the bathroom when we get back.”

“I definitely like this rain head.” Clara said pointing up. 

“Yep.”  He agreed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him under the water.  Clara loved the feel of his naked body pressed against hers and could feel how much he liked it too.

“Looks like you got a second wind.”  She said as she slid her hands down his back to run them over his behind and began placing soft kisses on his chest.

“I suspect I'll have lots of energy during this trip.”  He replied as he took a hand and tilted her chin up to kiss her.  At first it was slow and tender, but it wasn't long before both of them needed more and they deepened it.  

John slid one hand around to her front and started caressing her breast, while the other one was tangled in her hair.  Clara moaned into his mouth as she reached around and grabbed his now very erect member.  She ran her hand slowly down from the tip to the base and back up again, repeating her action over and over again getting faster and faster.  

John sighed as his tongue was dueling with hers.  He was more than ready to take her against the shower wall but needed to see if she was ready too.   He moved his hand down her wet body and slid it between her folds to discover what he knew would be true.  He dipped a finger into her wet core and penetrated her a few times while he rubbed her clit with his thumb.  He had managed to move them and Clara was now pressed against the wall.  He worked his hand in rhythm with her breathing and the louder she moaned the faster he got.  He knew she was about to come, but he wanted to be inside her when she did.

He tore his hand away, causing her to whimper at the loss, but quickly lifted her as she guided him into her.  He waited a moment before he began thrusting, just enjoying the feel of her heat around him.  They began kissing again and he started easing in and out of her.  Slowly at first, but it soon turned more heated.

“Harder John!”  Clara moaned as she tore her mouth away from his.

He picked up the pace as her back slid up and down the wall with each push.  

“Oh yes!  Feels so good!”

"Come for me Clara.  I need to feel your beautiful pussy pulse around my cock.”  John whispered in her ear, knowing how much she loved his dirty talk and needing her to come because he was so close.

He took a taut nipple into his mouth and began sucking and nipping at it, and it wasn't long before she screamed her release.  A few more hard pumps and he followed her, before easing her back down to the ground.

“Wow.” Clara said panting.  

“Wow indeed.”  John said as was caressing her arms trying to calm them both down.  “Check that off the list.”

“What list?”  Clara asked.

“My list of places I want to fuck you, while we're here.” He said as he grabbed her loofa and lathered it with body wash.  

“Care to share this list with the one you will be fucking?”  She asked as she turned around to let John wash her back.  “Maybe I want to add to it.”

“Absolutely.”  He said as he placed a soft kiss on her shoulder. “There's the couch, the tub, the pool, and the outdoor shower.”  

“What about the bed?”  She asked.

“Well that's a given, but that's where I'm going to make love to you.  All the other places are for down and dirty shagging.”

Clara laughed at the way he said down and dirty.  “Well in that case, I'm adding the hammock to that list and I wouldn't object to being bent over the patio table.”

“God I love you so much.” John said and turned her around to kiss her.  This was going to be the best vacation ever he thought.

They made it out of the shower and got dressed just in time for their butler to bring their dinner.  Once every thing was set up, he told them that if they needed anything to just call, but if not, he would be back in the morning with their breakfast.  They wished him a good night and sat at the patio table to have dinner.

“This is amazing John.”  Clara said as she picked up her glass of wine.  “Thank you so much.  I just don’t think my Christmas gift to you is going to top this.”

When they were booking the trip, Clara couldn’t help but notice how much all of this was going to cost and insisted that she help pay for it.  John of course wouldn’t hear of it and said that it would be his Christmas gift to her, promptly ending any more discussion.

“You’re all the gift I need.”  He said as he smiled at her and they clinked wine glasses.

“Nonetheless, I hope you’ll like it.”

“Well, we’ll see when we get home won’t we.”  He said as he winked at her.  They had agreed to not bring gifts with them on the trip and instead they would have their own Christmas when they got home.

They ate their dinner and enjoyed every delicious bit of it and decided to relax on the loungers before they had dessert.  It was a perfect night, not a cloud in the sky, which made it easy to see the stars.

“It’s so beautiful.”  Clara said as she looked up.  “You never see this in London.”  

“Makes you feel kind of small when you think about how big our universe is.”  John said.

“It really does.  Astronomy was one of my favourite classes I took in uni.”  Clara added and John turned and looked at her.

“You took astronomy?”  He questioned.

“Yeah, in my first year as an elective.  I loved it so much I almost changed my major, but then decided to stick with literature when I found out how much math was involved.”

“Do you remember any of the constellations?”  John asked.

“Oh sure.”  She said as she got up and joined him on his lounger.

“Do you see that bright star right there?”  She asked as she pointed up.  

“Yes.”  John said as he followed her arm and looked to where she was pointing.

“That’s part of Perseus.”  She went on to explain the constellation and pointed out a couple more to him, which impressed him very much.

“I had no idea I was dating a secret astronomer.”  He said, and Clara laughed.

“Hardly, but thanks.”  She said.

They cuddled some more, staring up at the sky while John asked Clara more questions about her days in university.  He learned about her favourite courses, books, professors, and in turn he shared his.  After about an hour of chatting, John had finished telling Clara about an art history course he had taken that had motivated him to travel to Rome during his summer holidays.  When he asked her a question and there was no response, he looked down and saw that she was fast asleep.  She looked so peaceful and had a small smile on her face.  He knew he wanted to remember this moment, so he reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone to take a selfie.  The first of what would undoubtedly be many on this trip.  Life couldn’t get much better than this and he couldn’t wait to enjoy the week ahead with this amazing woman.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say, these two are on vacation so lots of sex is going to be had. You've been warned :) Thanks for all the great feedback too!!

Clara woke up to the pleasant sound of birds, a cool breeze, and the smell of coffee. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that the patio door was open and John was standing at the table, shirtless and in a pair of shorts, pouring coffee. She got up and slipped her robe on before walking outside.

“Good morning.” She said as she approached the table.

“Good morning, indeed.” He said as he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. “Coffee?”

“Please.” She said as she took the offered mug from him and took a sip. “Mmmm. This is sooo good.”

The two sat down and started eating the breakfast their butler had brought them. Clara didn't know when he came with it, but it was still hot, which led her to think this place was truly magical.

“So, what's on the agenda for today?” John asked. They hadn't planned any excursions until the next day as they weren't sure how jetlagged they were going to feel.

“I'm thinking, pool, beach, pool, nap, and shower.” She said.

“Sounds good, but I'm going to say pool, beach, sex in the pool, nap, and then shower.” He winked at her. He was so adorable when he did that because the whole left side of his face would crinkle up, and she was sure he didn't know how to wink subtly.

“That plan works too.” She said with a smile.

After they finished eating, Clara amended their lineup, by having a shower first. When she got out John had already changed into his bathing suit, a pair of midnight blue shorts that fit him perfectly, not too long, not too short, and a short sleeved white linen button up shirt. He left the buttons undone and looked so inviting lounging on the lounger with his black Ray-Bans on.

“Ready to hit the beach, sexy?” She asked as she stood over him. He looked up and tilted his sunglasses down to get a better look at her. She was wearing a black string bikini, with cut off faded denim short shorts, oversized sunglasses, and a bag slung over her shoulder.

“Sexy is right. I think we should stay here and work on our list because bloody hell you look hot.” John said causing Clara to smile.

“Tempting, because you look foxy as fuck right now too, but later. I really want to see what's on the other side of that wall.”

“Then explore we will do.” John said as he got up and took her hand.

They followed a path from the villa down to the beach and both remarked at how beautiful the scenery was. Palm trees and exotic flowers lined their route and, in the distance, lush green mountains.

“Oh, I should have brought my camera.” John said as they had stopped to look at some flowers they had never seen before.

“This camera.” Clara said as she reached into her bag and pulled out his DSLR.

“Oh, clever girl!” He said as he took it from her and hung it around his neck. “Thanks.”

He looked through the view finder and started snapping pictures of her. At first, she was shy, but after a few shots she opened up a bit and started doing different tantalizing poses for him. Once John put the camera down they started on their journey again and after about five minutes they finally hit the beach.

“Look at that water!” Clara exclaimed. The ocean was a beautiful clear turquoise blue, that looked so refreshing, especially with the hot sun beating down on them. “I'm definitely taking a dip in that.”

Clara pulled a blanket out of her bag and John helped her spread it out on the soft white sand. She then pulled out two towels and a bottle of sunscreen and threw them on their makeshift bed. They both kicked their sandals off and sat down on the ground.

“I can't believe no one is here.” Clara said as she started rubbing lotion on her arms.

“Well there won't be.” John said.

“How do you know that?” Clara questioned.

“Because I paid for there to not be. For as far as you can see, this is all ours for the week.” John said as he spread his arms open.

“What!? No! John that is way too much!” Clara exclaimed shocked.

“Nothing is too much when it comes to spending a week alone with you and no one else around.” He said. “I meant it Clara when I said I wanted to focus on us this week with no distractions.”

“You're incredible, you know that right.” She said as she leaned in and placed her soft lips on his.

“I know.” He said as he pulled away and grabbed the sunscreen from her. “But I wouldn't be incredible if I let you burn.”

Clara turned as he squeezed a bit into the palm of his hands and then started rubbing the lotion into her shoulders. She lifted her hair off her neck, so it would be out of the way and John took the opportunity to place a gentle kiss at her nape. He continued rubbing the sunscreen across her shoulder blades and when he reached the tie at her neck he gave it a soft tug and the strings easily came apart. He continued rubbing further down her back until he reached the second set of ties and pulled them loose causing her bikini top to fall into her lap.

Clara had never been topless outside before so it felt a tad strange to be exposed this way. She closed her eyes and sighed as John continued rubbing the lotion over her back.

“Lay down sweetheart.” He said close to her ear in a tone that gave her goose bumps.

She did as she was told and laid down on her back. John smiled down at her as he took the sunscreen and squeezed a line down her torso. Once again, he began rubbing the lotion over her body, starting at her shoulders and working his way down. He ran a hand down the middle of her chest, intentionally avoiding her breasts, to her flat tummy and rubbed from one side to the other. Clara closed her eyes in order to enjoy the feel of his hands touching her while the hot sun beat down and a warm breeze blew across her chest. She was anticipating that John would start to rub lotion on her breasts, but instead felt him straddle her hips. She opened her eyes and smiled up at him.

“Now we especially need to make sure these don't get burned.” He smiled at her as he placed his hands on both of her breasts and rubbed them until there was no trace of sunscreen. Clara couldn't help but moan at the feel of his soft hands running over her hot skin.

“Feel good?” He asked.

“So good.” She sighed.

John moved further down her body and undid the top button of her shorts and pulled the zipper down. Clara lifted her hips so he could easily tug them off and he inhaled at the sight of her skimpy bikini bottoms. He continued applying more sunscreen to the front of her legs, making sure every inch of skin was covered.

“Roll over.”

She turned and was now lying on her stomach as John worked his hands from her feet up her calves to her thighs. He reached her hips and gave a tug to the strings tied at either side, letting her bottoms come apart. He then kneaded her curvaceous bottom ensuring the final bit of exposed skin was protected from the sun. Clara was completely naked and enjoying how free it felt to have the warm Caribbean air kissing her skin.

“Your turn.” Clara said as she sat up.

John took his shirt off, while she squeezed the sunscreen into her hands. He laid stomach down on the blanket and she started rubbing the cream all over his smooth back, arms and legs. She then placed her hands at the waistband of his swim trunks and began pulling them down. Once they were off, she turned her attention to his arse and made sure it wasn't going to burn.

“That should ensure your butt doesn't turn red.” Clara said, as she gave him a little smack.

“At least not from the sun.” He added as he rolled over.

Clara smiled at seeing the effect her massage had on him. She continued her rub down on his chest, stomach and front of his legs before she finally grabbed his erection and began stroking him.

“Especially need to make sure this doesn't get sunburned.” She said. “I plan on using it a lot this week.”

John smiled and groaned as her strokes became faster. He reached his hand out and started caressing her thigh, getting closer to her centre with each caress until finally his slender fingers slid between her slick folds.

“I think someone likes the idea of having sex outside.” John said as he circled her clit with his thumb. “You're so turned on.”

“Yeah, I need to fuck you John.” She said as she straddled him and started running his hard member through her folds.

“Well fuck away sweetheart.”

Clara lifted her hips and then slid down onto his erection, causing John to groan at the feel of her wetness surrounding him. She placed her hands on his chest and began to slowly ride him, as his hands held tightly to her hips. Everything felt so amazing. She had never been naked outside before and certainly had never had sex outdoors. She knew that John wouldn't have undressed if it wasn't safe, but there was a level of excitement about it, as if they could get caught any moment. This thought turned her on more and she began to pick up her pace, causing her breasts to bounce more. John moved his hands up her sides to grab them and squeezed them as he sat up in order to pull them into his mouth. His movement made Clara temporarily stop her actions, so now she was sitting in his lap with her legs wrapped around his waist. The new position gave her a moment to calm down and to just simply enjoy the closeness to John. She couldn't get any closer to him then him sucking on her nipples while his cock was buried deep inside her.

“Oh Clara, you feel amazing.” He said as he moved his mouth from one breast to the other.

“God John, this is incredible.” Clara said as she began thrusting again.

John had given control to her, but he was desperate for more and flipped them over, so that he was now on top of her. He kissed her while pounding into her as hard and deep as he could go.

“Yes, John, yes!” Clara screamed.

“I'm going to come sweetheart!”

“Come for me!”

John gave a couple of more hard thrusts and them groaned his release. Clara followed him, screaming his name. He rolled to her side and the two laid on the blanket trying to get their breathing under control.

“Well that was a first.” John said as he looked over at the woman he loved.

“What was?” She asked.

“Having sex outside on a beach.” He answered.

“You've never done that before.” Clara said sounding surprised.

“Nope.” He said as he smiled at her. “Have you?”

“Never.” Clara smiled at him, happy that she was able to do something with him that he had never done with anyone else. “And pretty sure it won't be the last.”

“Good.” He said and then stood up. “Care to do another first with me Ms. Oswald and skinny dip in the ocean.”

“Absolutely.” She answered as he helped her up and the two walked off towards the water.

\---------

The rest of the day was spent doing pretty much nothing. After their dip in the ocean they got dressed and went back to their room for lunch. When they finished eating John was starting to feel some remnants of the jetlag so he decided to take a nap in the hammock. Clara took the opportunity to grab her book and the floating lounger and hit the pool. From where she was, she had a great view of John resting peacefully and she could see a small smile on his face as he slept.

An hour later and Clara heard him get out of the hammock. She looked up from her book and saw him taking his shirt off as he was walking towards her. The next thing she knew he was getting in the pool with her.

“Ooh this is refreshing.” He said as he walked towards where she was floating.

“Yeah, the water is the perfect temperature.”

“You're looking pretty hot on that thing.” John said as he took the book from her hands and tossed away from the pool.

“You think I look hot all the time.” She said.

“True, but I didn't mean it that way.” He laughed. “I meant you really look hot.”

“Oh. I'm okay actually.” She laughed with him.

“You sure you wouldn't feel better in the pool?”

“I'm good.”

“Nah, I think you need to cool off.” He said as he flipped her lounger sending her into the pool.

Clara surfaced and splashed water at John's face.

“You wanker.” She said as she laughed.

“Sorry I couldn't resist.” He said as he grabbed and hugged her.

“Well I do feel more refreshed now.”

“Good. I'm going to go grab us some drinks and then we can relax in here for a bit. Sound good?” John asked as he got out of the pool.

“It does. Looks good too.” She said as she admired how his wet bathing suit clung to his backside.

“Oh you. Always thinking about sex.” He said as he approached the outdoor bar.

“Yeah, must be the influence of my boyfriend’s libido.”

“Hmmmm, could be. Do you want a beer?”

“Yeah that sounds good.”

John returned to the pool with two bottles of ice cold beer and handed one to Clara as he got back in the pool.

“So, Ms. Oswald, wanna play a game?” John asked her as he sat down next to her on a bench in the water.

“What kind of game, Mr. Smith?”

“Have you ever.”

“Trying to get me drunk?” She asked.

“Maybe.” He smiled at her. “I'll start. Never have I ever broken a bone.”

Clara smiled at him and took a drink.

“What did you break?” He asked.

“My arm when I was a kid. I was trying to climb a tree that a bunch of older boys in the neighbourhood were climbing and it didn't go so well for me.”

“Oh, poor little Clara.” He said.

“I know. Okay my turn. Never have I ever watched Monty Python.”

“What!?” John said as he took a drink. “How have you never watched that?”

“I'm young.” She said and winked at him.

“When we get back we are watching The Holy Grail.”

The two continued back and forth with the questions, learning things that they didn't know about one another. John learned that Clara had once stolen make-up from a store as a teen, had a secret ambition to be a Hogwarts wizard, and had a pet turtle growing up. Clara learned that John had been kicked out of a bar in university, tried eating insects once on a trip, and had hitchhiked while traveling. They were now on their second bottle of beer and it was Clara's turn to make a statement. So far, they had been good innocent questions, but she decided to spice things up a bit.

“Never have I ever watched porn with someone else.” She said.

John quirked an eyebrow at her and took a drink. “We really need to do something about your viewing habits when we get back. You've never watched porn with someone?”

“No. I told you my previous boyfriends were all really boring in bed.”

“Well thank god you met me.” He smiled trying to think of a new question. “Never have I ever kissed someone of the same sex.”

Clara looked at him and took a drink.

“Okay do tell.”

“It was in university and I was drunk one night and snogged another girl.”

“Just snogging?” He asked quiet interested in her story.

“There may have been some touching too, but that was it.” She answered.

“That's hot.”

“Okay, moving on. Never have I ever had sex in a pool.” She looked at John expecting him to take a drink, but he didn't.

“Hmm, another first we can accomplish together.” She said.

“And accomplish we will. Never have I ever had sex with someone more than ten years older.”

“Okay now you're just forcing me to drink.” Clara said as she drank. “Never have I ever played strip poker.”

John took a drink. “Do you know how to play?” He asked Clara.

“No, but I always wanted to learn.” She answered.

“Why don't I teach you after dinner.” He offered.

“Sounds fun.” She said.

The two continued some more with their game until their butler showed up with dinner. Clara was a little disappointed to end because she was learning a lot about John. She had just assumed that because of his age and his appetite for sex, that he would have tried a lot of things in bed. Turned out she was wrong.

As their butler was setting dinner up, the two got out of the pool and went inside to change, having a quick shower to remove the salt and chlorine from the day and freshen up before they ate. When they came back outside dinner was ready and their butler was gone.

“I really enjoyed playing Have You Ever with you.” Clara said while they started eating. “I feel like I learned a lot.”

“Yeah, like what?” He asked.

“Oh, I just assumed that there was a lot of things that you had tried before me. It's nice to know that a lot of firsts I'm experiencing, you're experiencing them too.”

“I'm just happy that you're willing to try things that I always wanted to do. Like sex on the beach today.”

“Yeah that's a definite must again.” She said as she smiled at him and he smiled back.

They continued chatting, but changed the topic to the hike they were going to take the next day. Clara was really looking forward to exploring more of the island and John was looking forward to taking some more photos. They decided they should try and get some extra sleep tonight, so they would have the energy they needed for the day trip.

“So, is that a no to learning how to play poker?” John asked.

“Oh no I still want to do that.” Clara said as she started clearing the dishes from the patio table and moved them to the bar, while John went and got the deck of cards.

He explained the rules to her as they played a few hands. It seemed fairly simple and Clara was catching on quickly. After a couple of more hands, John suggested they start making wagers. They played the next hand and Clara lost, so she removed her t-shirt to reveal she wasn't wearing a bra.

“This is going to be a quick game from the amount of clothing we're both wearing.” John said as he dealt the next hand.

He lost the next round and off came his shirt, but he won the next one causing Clara to lose her shorts.

“Okay this is the last hand because I'm not wearing anything under these shorts and I'm pretty sure you're not wearing anything under your knickers.”

He dealt the hand and the luck went his way, which meant Clara had to lose her lace panties. She stood up and moved to stand in front of John in order to give him a bit of a show, which inevitably led to her being bent over the table and the two of them checking another spot off their list of places to have sex. When they finished they made their way inside and had another quick shower before getting ready for bed. Once they were done they laid in the middle of their giant bed, arms cuddled around one another.

“Today was fantastic John.” Clara said as they were drifting off to sleep.

“Agreed. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.” He answered and in no time at all the two had drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants to read the table sex, you can find that scene here.... [ Strip Poker ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15459024)


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another NSFW chapter. This time John wants to live out more of Clara's fantasies while on vacation.

It was the day before Christmas and for the first time, in a long time, both Clara and John  were excited about the holiday.  Clara didn't have to spend the time with her horrible step-mum and John didn't have to spend it being reminded that he didn't have a family like his sister.  Instead they were spending today hiking to one of the local waterfalls. 

The resort had driven them to the location and would be back in a couple of hours to pick them up.  Clara was navigating with the use of a map the resort had given them, and John was impressed that they seemed to be on the right path.  He was useless when it came to directions, so he was happy to see he would never be lost with her.

“Well we must be heading the right way, I think I can hear it.”  Clara said.

Sure enough they came to a clearing and saw the tall cascading water falling into a pool of crisp blue water.  The water sparkled like diamonds as rays of sunlight hit it through gaps in the trees.  John started snapping photos, while Clara started climbing down towards the water.

“You know what happens when you start climbing things.”  John yelled to her.  “I don't want to have to take you to the hospital with a broken arm.”

“You think you're so funny don't you.”  She yelled back.

“I do actually.”  He answered as he pointed his camera at her and took some pictures.  

“Put the camera away and get your skinny arse down here old man.”

He put the camera safely away in his bag and made his way down to the base of the waterfall.  Clara had already stripped down to her white bikini and was wading into the water.  It was so clear and looked so inviting after their hike.  John took his shirt off and followed her in.

He swam over to where she was treading water and dove under.  Clara admired how his body moved under the water and watched as he popped up right next to her.

“Where does a boy from Glasgow learn to swim?”  She asked.  She grew up in Blackpool, so it was natural that she would spend summers at the beach, but there was only a river where he grew up.

“In a pool.”  He said stating the obvious.  “I did a movie when I was younger where I needed to swim, so had to take lessons.  I guess I took to it like a fish to water.”  

Clara groaned at his bad joke and splashed water at him, which prompted him to dive under again, but this time grabbed her legs under the water and threw her into the air as he came up.  They continued having fun, splashing and playing as if they were kids.  Clara loved that John had a carefree side to him and when she looked at him floating on the water, he looked so relaxed, at peace and as if he were about ten years younger.  This trip had been such a good idea and she was really starting to imagine what her future would be like with him.

Eventually, they got out of the water and lounged on a rock, just enjoying the sounds of nature.  Birds chirping, the roar of the water as it fell over the cliff and hit the plunge pool below was all enough to make them fall asleep.  However, they had to head back to, so they packed everything up, took one last selfie in front of the falls and made their trek out of the forest.

Their afternoon was spent relaxing by the pool reading.  For John it had been a long time since he had read something that wasn’t a script, but for Clara it was something she did all the time.  John of course didn’t bring a book with him, but luckily Clara had packed two.  

“This isn’t going to be some sappy romance novel, is it?”  He said before he opened it.

“Just shut up and read.”  She said as she laid back on her lounger with her book. 

After an hour, Clara looked over at John and noticed that his book was face down on his chest and he was softly snoring.  She got up and grabbed her phone to snap a picture of him because he just looked so adorable.  She then slid the book out of his hands and noticed he didn’t make it very far in.  She grabbed a drink and decided to lounge in the pool for a bit, trying to cool off from the heat.   From where she was sitting in the pool she had a clear view of the handsome man sleeping peacefully.  Life couldn’t get much better than this right now.  If someone had told her six months ago that she would be spending Christmas with John Anderson on a romantic Caribbean holiday, she would have had them committed.  How did her life become this?  How did she get this lucky?  They had been together for almost six months and she was really beginning to feel like she knew him better than she knew anyone.

“What are you deep in thought about?”

She jumped a little because he hadn't even moved and with his dark shades on she didn't know he had woken up.  

“Just thinking about you.”  She said.

“What about me?”  He asked.

“How crazy this all is and that I can't fully believe that I'm here with you.  Having a bit of a fan girl moment, I guess.”  

“I haven't seen fangirl Clara for awhile.” He said as he continued to lay on the lounger.

“I guess I've been doing a good job of suppressing her.”

“Does she want to come out and play?”  He said, his voice sounding a little huskier.

Clara wasn't entirely sure where this was going, but had an idea based on his tone.

“Why whatever do you mean, Mr. Anderson?”  

“Well, I know you've had fantasies about me.  The costume, the trip to the set, all come to mind as one's we've fulfilled, but I'm curious about others.”

“Every time we have sex, John, is a god damn fantasy for me.”  She said and chuckled.

“Tell me how you used to imagine meeting me.  Would it be, we met the way we did, or would it be, we met and had a one time fling?”  He asked.

“Both.”  She said.  

“Tell me about the fling.  Or,” he said and then hesitated, “would you rather act it out.”

There it was.  That was the angle he was going when he asked if she wanted to play.  Clara had fantasized many times what it would be like to meet him and just have one night with him, so the idea of doing that now was turning her on.

“Well you were always the aggressor, the one who approached me.”

“Okay.”  He said as he got up and grabbed a beer from the bar then joined her in the pool.  Clara was expecting him to say something else, but he didn’t.

“That’s it?”  She asked.

“What?”  

“You’re not going to ask me more questions?”

“Nope.  I’m going to cool off in here before we have dinner.”  

Clara was really perplexed as to what he was up to, but decided to drop it for now.    
Instead they discussed things that they wanted to do before their trip was over.  Since Clara had never been on a trip like this, she wanted to go snorkeling and hit one of the local towns to check out some shops and restaurants.  John suggested they could pick up some souvenirs for Donna, Amy, Rory and perhaps their baby, which made her happy to know that he was thinking of her friends as well as his.

During dinner that night, John suggested that they get a change of scenery and go up to one of the resort bars for a drink.  Clara liked the idea as it would be nice to get out of her bathing suit and into some regular clothes for a night.  John got ready first and was waiting for Clara out on the patio, enjoying the night air.  He had opted to wear a pair of tan chino shorts that went to just above his knees and a navy button up shirt tucked into his shorts and the sleeves rolled up.  He was deep in thought, thinking about his plan for the night, when Clara stepped outside.

“Whoa, you look beautiful.”  He said as she twirled for him, showing off her outfit.  She had chosen to wear a black backless halter top that tied in the back at her waist and around her neck.  She paired it with a long, black and white, patterned skirt that had a side slit up to her thigh.  She finished it off with a simple black thong sandal.

“Thanks, you look pretty handsome yourself.”

“Shall we?”  He said as he stood up and offered her his arm.

They leisurely walked up to the resort, holding hands, and Clara was reminded of their first date, when they had walked to the bar after their dinner.  She remembered how she felt that night, nervous and excited all rolled into one.  It didn’t take them long to get to the bar, which was a little busy, so John told Clara to grab a table, while he grabbed them drinks. While she was waiting she took in the surroundings.  It was an outdoor bar, that was lit with tiki torches and patio lights that gave a warm soft glow to the table she had chosen.  She looked out towards the beach and could see the moon light dancing off the water.  She was mesmerized and hadn't noticed a strange man approach and set a martini on the table.  

“This is from the gentleman at the bar.”  The young man said as he pointed towards the man.  

She looked over and John raised a glass of scotch to her.  She mimicked the gesture and took a sip from her drink.  She looked at him as he continued sitting there and made no motion to come and join her.  What was he doing?  She continued watching him as she drank, noticing that he would occasionally glance in her direction and give her a soft smile.  A smile that reminded her of the very first time she had seen him at the pub.  This was the smile that he gave an unfamiliar girl, not the smile she often got from him now.  Then it dawned on her what he was doing and she suddenly became very aroused.  They continued to exchange glances until she finished her drink and she saw him approach with two more drinks in hand.

“May I join you?”  He asked.  Clara smiled and motioned to the open seat across from her.  

“I hope you don't mind, but I got you another drink.”  He said as he slid the martini across to her.

“Thank you so much.”  She said.  “That's very kind of you.”

“You're very welcome.  My name is John.”  He said as he extended his hand and she shook it.

“Clara.”  She answered.

“Pretty name.  Clara, I'm afraid I couldn't help but notice you were staring at me when you walked in.”

“Sorry,” She said.  “It's just that I'm a huge fan of yours and was surprised to see you here.”

“Ah, so you do know who I am.”

“Yeah, I just love you in Time Avengers.”  She said as she took a drink.  “I think you're very talented.”  

“Thanks.  I have other hidden talents too.”  He answered as he took a drink and winked at her.  “I can play guitar and sing, among other things.”

“And what would the other things be?”  She questioned.

“Maybe I'll show you later.”  He answered coyly.  “So tell me Clara, are you here with anyone?”

“Some friends, but they were kind of spent after the day and are back at the room.  I decided to go out and find my own fun.” She answered, playing along.  “You?”

“Well I'm here with you now, but otherwise I'm alone.”

“And do you always buy strange girls drinks in bars?”

“Only the incredibly beautiful ones.”  He said.  “And what about you, do you always accept drinks from strange men?”

“Well I do know who you are, but no not usually.”

“So why from me?”   He asked.

“Two reasons, you’re even sexier in real life and the second, it's a chance to live out a fantasy.”  She said.

“And what fantasy is that?”

“Where we meet and you buy me a drink.  Just like this.”

“Hmm.  And is that where the fantasy ends?”  He asked as he reached across the table and took her hand in his and started rubbing his thumb across her palm.

“No.”  She said.  “We flirt.”  

“Then what?”  He asked trying to pull more out of her.

“You would say things to me that really start turning me on.”

“Yeah, like how desperately I want to taste your lips.”  He whispered as he leaned across the table.

“That's a good start.”  She answered as she finished her drink.

“Fancy another one?”  

“That would be nice, thank you.”

“Here or back to my room?”  He added as he stood up.

“Your room sounds good.”  She answered and John took her hand.  He led them out of the bar and towards a bunch of golf carts.

“I'm back in the private room section, do you mind if we get a butler to take us back.”

“Not at all.”  She said as he helped her onto the back of the cart, then sat next to her wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

Before long they were back at their gate, which led to their patio and room.  John opened it and led her in towards the outdoor bar.  She sat, while he went behind to make them drinks.  Once he poured them he came back around and they sat facing each other on the bar stools, so close that their knees were touching.

“I don't normally do this sort of thing.”  He said.  

“And what sort of thing is that?”  

“Bring a fan back to my place.  But there's something about you Clara.”  He said as he stared deep into her eyes.  God he was good she thought.

“Yeah?  What do you think that is?”  She questioned as she brought her drink up to her lips and pressed the tip of her tongue against the rim of the glass before she took a sip.

“Well for starters, you are so fucking beautiful.  You have this spot here,”  he swept her hair aside and lightly touched his long index finger to her neck just below her ear, “that I've been longing to kiss since I laid eyes on you.”

“Oh.”  Was all Clara could say.  When John turned on the charm, he turned on the charm.

He leaned forward in his chair and placed his lips softly on that spot and Clara suddenly felt those butterflies she had when they first started dating.  She couldn't help but tilt her head, giving him better access as he lingered.

“Anything else you've been longing to do?” She asked as her heart was thumping loudly and she would have thought that John had never touched her before.

John got up and went inside, leaving behind a confused Clara until she heard music coming through the speakers and immediately recognized the familiar song,  _Earned It_ , by The Weekend.  John came back outside and extended his hand to her.

“Dance with me.”  He said as she took his hand and he pulled her into his body, wrapping his arm around her waist, firmly touching her on the exposed skin of her lower back.  She pressed one hand into his shoulder blade and the other was encased in his between their chests.  Her heart was beating so fast that she was sure it was going to beat out of her chest and she wasn’t sure how he was able to make her feel this way.  To make her feel like this was the first time he held her.  He gazed into her eyes and instead of seeing love, she saw lust.  

They swayed in beat to the music, holding each other so close that Clara could feel that John was just as aroused as she was.  She very much wanted him to kiss her, but he just kept staring into her eyes, occasionally glancing down to her lips.  He slid his hand, that held her back, down and cupped the soft curve of her bottom.  He then leaned down and she could feel his warm breath tickle her ear.

“I want you Clara.  I want you like I’ve never wanted any woman before.  I want to fuck you until you scream my name and beg me to stop.”  He whispered in her ear and despite the warm night air, her skin prickled with desire.

“Then take me.”  She whispered.

That was all the invitation John wanted to hear and he crashed his lips into hers, kissing her eagerly.  Clara instantly opened to him as he plunged his tongue into her mouth and she could taste his scotch.  His hand that had been holding hers went around her, so that both hands now squeezed her bottom, pulling her into him.  Her hands were pressed against his chest as she was frantically trying to get the buttons undone on his shirt.  He moved one of his hands around her thigh and slid his hand into the slit of her skirt, moving it back around to her bare ass, noticing that she wasn’t wearing knickers. 

“Naughty.”  He said as he tore his lips away from her.

“I told you I was out looking for fun.”  She said as she moved her hands to the front of his shorts and grabbed his bulge, causing him to take a sharp intake of breath.  “This feels bigger than I imagined it might be.”  

“Well you’re going to have to wait to find out.”  He said as he moved them over to one of the walls and pressed her against it as he held both her tiny wrists above her head with his large hand.  He began licking and sucking on her neck, eliciting soft moans from Clara.  His other hand moved around to her neck and tugged at the ties, leaving her exposed as her top fell forward.  John moved his kisses down until he reached a taut nipple and pulled it into his mouth.

He moved his hand around her waist and pulled at the other set of ties, and then threw her top over his shoulder while he continued, licking and sucking on her breasts.  Clara began to squirm, wanting so badly to touch John, but not being able to.  He pulled back so he could see the state she was in, chest heaving, breathing shallow.  

“Turn around.”  He commanded and Clara did.  He moved closer to her and wrapped a hand around to fondle and rub at her nipples, while his other hand swept the hair off her neck, so he could place kisses at her nape.  He then moved, leaving a trail of wet kisses down her spine, until he was on his knees and eye level with her luscious bottom.   He reached out and pulled the zipper down and then slid her skirt to the ground.  He rubbed and massage her ass while he pressed his soft lips to each cheek. 

He then stood up and turned her back around, lifting her by the waist and carrying her over to sit on top of the bar.  He pulled one of the stools over and sat in between her legs, looking up at her.  She grabbed the sides of his face and leaned down kissing him passionately, as his hands landed on her thighs, pushing her legs further apart.  He slid his hands further up until he reached her apex and tore his mouth away from hers to bend down and hungrily devour her sex.  Clara leaned back and gave a loud moan as his tongue made contact with her clit.  

“Oh fuck!  You are so good at that!”  She cried.  The sound of him lapping at her only turned her on more and one of her hands flew to the back of his head, pushing him further into her.  He had worked her up so much that she quickly felt what she hoped would be the first of many orgasms coming on.  

John continued his assault, switching between licking, sucking and biting and the louder she got the faster he went.  Sure, enough she screamed her release, but John didn’t stop.  Instead he slowed his pace down as she slowly came down.  Finally, he looked up at her wiping his chin.

“I told you I had other talents.”  He winked at her as he sat back and removed his shirt that she had unbuttoned earlier.

“And now it’s time for you to see mine.”  She said as she hoped down off the bar.  Her legs were still a little weak after her orgasm, so she sat on the other stool.  Her hands landed on his belt buckle and she quickly unbuckled and unzipped his shorts, reaching in and grabbing his hard member and pulling it out.  She licked her lips at the sight of it, anxious to wrap her mouth around it.

“So, is it as big as you imagined?”  He asked.

“Oh yes.”  She replied.  “So much bigger.”

She bent forward and flicked her tongue across the tip, before slowly sucking on the engorged head.  He groaned at the feel of her hot mouth on him.  She gradually worked her way down to his base and then back up again, using her hand to stroke him as well.

“Oh, you’re mouth feels so good on my cock, Clara.”  

She continued taking her time sucking him in and out of her mouth, working him the way he had with her.  He knew that he had been so turned on all night that he wouldn’t last much longer if she continued this, and he had more plans for the night,

“Oh sweetheart, you need to stop or this night is going to be over when it just got started.”  

Clara looked up at him and gave a final lick up his shaft before sitting up.  John stood up, dropped his shorts, and plunged his tongue into her mouth.  He then, grabbed his throbbing member and pushed it against her entrance.

“Are you ready for this?”  He said.

“So fucking ready.”  She said as he pushed into her and both sighed at the contact.  Clara was so thankful that the chair was the right height for him to easily fuck her this way.  He slowly pulled out to his tip and then slowly pushed back in again.  Clara looked down and could see where their bodies were joined and it made her even more aroused to watch him thrust in and out of her.

“This is so fucking hot.”  She said as she looked at him.  He gave her a sly grin.

“Want to share some positions you imagined me shagging you in?”  He asked as he continued thrusting.  “You’ve got one night to live out your fantasy, pick your favourite Clara.”

“On the bed, from behind.”  She moaned.  

John pulled out of her and helped her jump off the chair, before leading her inside.  He kissed her in front of the bed and then turned her around before he gently positioned her down on her hands and knees, then quickly entered her from behind.

“Fuck John!”  She shouted.

He rubbed his hands over her ass as he slowly penetrated her.  There was something about this position for him that made him feel like he could fuck her forever.  He slowly pulled out and then slowly entered her again and again and again until Clara was begging him to go faster.  He grabbed her hips and picked up his pace and brought her to a point that she was about to scream her release, but then slowed down again. He wanted them to come together, but he was enjoying this way too much for it to end.  He did this a few more times, slowing down until Clara begged for more, then brought her to the edge, but slowed again before she went over.  

“God…. John….I… ahhh… can't take….oooh  much more.”  She whimpered as he was easing in and out of her.

“You have the most amazing pussy Clara.  I just want to fuck it all night.”  He said as he was rubbing her ass and watching as his cock slid in and out of her.

“Please John, I…… oh fuck… I… need… god… to come!”  She begged.

He reached around and pulled her up as he wrapped one arm around her waist and the other across her chest tweaking one of her nipples.  His other hand snaked down her stomach and began rubbing between her legs as he latched on to the spot on her neck where he knew she loved to be kissed.  All of her senses were afire and her breathing turned into pants.  Finally,  after a few more powerful pumps, she had the strongest orgasm of her life and knew in that moment no man would ever be able to pleasure her the way John did.

As Clara came, John did the same with a loud grunt of her name and both collapsed on the bed in a sweaty tangled mess of limbs.

“Jesus John.  That was, fuck I don't even have words to describe that.”

“Fan-fucking-tabulous is a word that comes to my mind.”   He said as he got up and walked over to the tub.  “Fancy a soak?”

The two had a relaxing bath, soothing what would undoubtedly be sore muscles in the morning.  When they got out they dried each other off before getting into bed.  John noticed the time on the clock as he went to shut the light off and rolled over wrapping his arms around Clara.

“Merry Christmas Clara.”  He said as he gave her a slow kiss.

“Merry Christmas, and thank you for making all my dreams come true John.”

“Anything your heart desires, I'll do my best to give it to you sweetheart.”  

And as they drifted off to sleep, Clara couldn't help but think about something John had said during their roleplaying,  _he wanted_ _her like he had never wanted a_ _woman_ _before_.  Was this true?  Or was he just in the moment and acting?  She wanted it to be true because it was true for her.  She never wanted any man more than she wanted John and she was becoming more and more sure she would never want another man again.


	45. Chapter 45

The next couple of days of their trip were spent doing more sightseeing, shopping, swimming in the ocean, and moonlit walks along the beach. On Christmas day they called their families and it was the first time Clara had talked to John's sister. She had insisted on talking to the woman who had taken her brother away for the holidays. Clara was a tad worried she was going to be angry with her, but it turned out she just really wanted to thank her for making John so happy. With John's busy schedule he hadn't been able to take her up to Scotland to meet his family, yet, but he promised his sister that as soon as he had some free time the two of them would come for a visit. Clara was really looking forward to meeting his family and learning about John in his younger days.

After that, Clara called her dad and spoke to him and her gran. Linda still hadn't changed her opinion about John and Clara's relationship, so she wanted no part of the call, which was fine with Clara. It was a pleasant call, ending with the four agreeing to have brunch before John went back to Cardiff.

The rest of Christmas day was spent at the beach, snorkeling, and enjoying the solitude of their own private paradise. That night they had dinner at one of the restaurants then went back to their room to check another spot of their “list". By the time they made it to the day before they were supposed to leave they had managed to complete it and had also managed to find a couple of other spots they hadn't thought of before, like a grotto they discovered on a private boat tour. They were both enjoying every second of their vacation and were sad that tomorrow was their last day.

Clara had woken up and rolled over to wrap her arm around John, but discovered the bed was empty. She sat up and looked around, but couldn't see him anywhere, so she called his name. She heard nothing, but silence. She grabbed her robe and pulled it on as she stepped outside and looked around, but again nothing. Where could he have gone? They hadn’t been apart the whole trip, so why now. She went and grabbed her phone off the night stand, but there was no message. She was starting to think that the whole week had been a dream, until he walked through the patio gate.

“You’re up.” He said.

“Yeah, I just woke up and was wondering where you were.” She questioned.

“Sorry,” He said as he walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I thought I would be back before you woke up, I didn’t mean to worry you. I just went to settle some payments at the main resort.”

“It’s okay, just leave me a note next time, okay old man.” She said smiling at him as she poured them coffee.

“Will do boss.” He answered as he took the mug from her. “So last day, what do you want to do?”

“Can we just relax at the beach?”

“Absolutely. That sounds pretty perfect.”

An hour later they were stretched out on a blanket enjoying the last little bit of sunshine before they went back to dull grey London.

“I think this is the most tanned I've ever been.” Clara said as she rolled over onto her back. “And definitely the first time not having tan lines.”

John looked over at her and smiled at her as he flipped over on to his stomach.

“Well worth the purchase then?” He asked.

“Yes, sunbathing naked has been one of the highlights for sure. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I have.” They had come to the beach every day and every day they had both stripped down to nothing.

“I would have to agree. In fact I would pay twice what it cost just to enjoy the view.”

“Oh you.” She said as she playfully slapped his bottom. “What's been your highlight?”

“Well of the things we've done so far, I'd have to say getting to spend so much time with you.”

“Charmer.” She replied grinning at him.

“Just being honest. It's going to be weird going back and not waking up to you every day.”

“Not until you go back to Cardiff, until then I'm all yours.”

They laid on the beach for a while longer until it started to get too hot. They took one final dip in the ocean and then went back to have an afternoon nap in the hammock. Clara loved this spot the most. She woke up first, and just stayed in John's arms thinking about the fun time they had here yesterday. Clara wasn't sure it would be possible to have sex in a hammock, but John was determined to make it work. And boy did he succeed.

“Ooh what time is it?” John said as he stretched, having just woken up.

“Just after 3.” Clara said. “What was our plan for dinner tonight?”

“It's a surprise.” He said.

“Here or some where else?” She questioned.

“Some where else. And stop asking me questions because I'm not telling you anything else.” He said as he placed a kiss on her cheek.

“Fine. Can I at least know what time?”

“In two hours.”

“Okay so enough time to shower.” She said as she got up out of the hammock.

“More than enough time.” John answered. “You don't need to get ready right now.”

“I do if you plan on joining me in the shower.” She said as she stood in front of him and untied her bikini top, tossing it at his head before walking away. That was all the invitation he needed and followed her.

After their extended shower time, John got out before Clara, so that he could shave and get out of her way when she was getting ready. Plus, he also liked when he waited for her big reveal, anticipating what she would be wearing and how her hair would be. He decided that for tonight he was going to wear his black chino shorts and a crisp white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

Clara got out of the shower, saw what he was wearing and gave him a little whistle. He turned and smiled at her, then went outside to wait for her. She then went to the closet and decided to wear a black floral print knee length strapless dress, that was very summery and would be perfect for wherever he was taking her. She wore her hair down in soft waves and finished her look with a simple pendent necklace that had belonged to her mother. She was struggling with the clasp when she first heard John walk in and then saw his reflection in the mirror. Without saying a word he took the necklace in his hands and Clara swept her hair up as he did the chain up.

“You're so beautiful sweetheart.” He said as he looked at her through the mirror and placed a soft kiss on the back of her neck.

“Thanks.” She said as she turned in his arms and gave him a slow soft kiss.

“So are you going to tell me now, where we're going.” She asked.

“Nope.” He took her hand and led her out of their room and towards the path for the beach.

“We're going to the beach first?” She questioned

“Sure.” John answered being completely vague.

They continued walking down to the beach, holding hands, but when they reached the shore, Clara dropped John's hand and turned and looked at him in utter shock.

“John what is this?!” She exclaimed.

“Dinner at the beach.” He said “Thought we could enjoy the sunset while we eat.”

The sun had just begun to set, changing the sky into a mix of pink, orange, red, and purple. Lanterns lined a path towards a table sitting under a bamboo canopy draped with white tulle. Candles adorned the table and red and pink rose petals were scattered around on the ground. She looked off to the left and noticed a canopy bed covered with pillows had been set up with another trail of lanterns leading to it.

“How did you do this?” She asked.

“This morning when I went missing. This is what I was putting into motion.” He answered as he took her hand again and led her towards the table. “I wanted our last night to be special.”

“You never cease to amaze me when it comes to romance.” She said as their butler appeared with their meals and a bottle of champagne.

During their meal, they ate and shared stories, much like they had been all week. It was during these conversations that Clara was beginning to feel like she was really getting to know John. This trip had been exactly what she needed to help her learn how much they truly loved each other, but there was still a small part of her that wondered how things would be when they got back to reality. When she would once again be faced with excited fans, and a crazy ex-wife.

Once they finished dinner, their butler came out and cleared the plates and told them that he had set up another bottle of champagne at the beach bed and that he would be leaving for the night, so they would be alone with no interruptions. The two thanked him for everything and made their way over to relax. As they got closer, Clara heard music and immediately recognized the song as Halo, the one they first danced to and the one that John sang to her. John wrapped his arm around Clara and pulled her close to him as they began dancing.

“You're pulling out all the charm tonight, aren't you?” She said.

“Just wanted to make it a memorable night for a memorable vacation.”

“Mission accomplished.” She said.

“Oh I don't know. There could be one more thing to make it memorable.”

He let go of Clara and before she even realized what was happening, he had reached into his shorts pocket and dropped to one knee in front of her as he popped open a tiny box.

“Clara, I know that you might think this is too sudden, but for me there is no doubt in my mind. I love you more than anything in this world and I can't imagine sharing my life with anyone other than you.” John said, as Clara was trying to process what was happening.

“Will you marry me?”


	46. Chapter 46

Clara couldn't believe what was happening. One second she was dancing with John and the next he was on one knee in front of her holding a diamond ring. Her hands had flown up to cover her mouth in shock because not in a million years had she thought he would do this. Her mind was trying to catch up with his words, but it just wasn't computing.

“Oh my god John!” She said as she looked at the ring he was holding. “Did you just ask me to marry you?”

“I did. I love you more than I have loved anyone Clara. I thought that I knew what it meant to be in love, but you have shown me what it truly feels like. I feel alive with you I don't ever want that feeling to stop. So, what do you say, will you marry me?” He said, as he held his breath.

“Yes!” She answered as she beamed at him and tears of happiness fell down her cheeks. He let out his breath and a massive grin came over his face.

“Really!?” He said, not really believing what she said.

“Yes! A thousand times yes!”

John stood up and slipped the ring on her finger. A perfect fit. He then hugged her picking her up and spun her around, kissing her. He put her back down and Clara held her hand out looking at the ring. It was beautiful and looked like nothing she had ever imagined. It had 4 inset sapphires, 2 on each side of a princess cut diamond, and a beautiful design engraved around the outside of a platinum band.

“Do you like it?” John asked. He was sure that she would, but he was a little worried she might not.

“I don't like it, John, I love it!”

“Good.” He said unable to stop smiling. “Well this calls for a celebration then!”

He picked up the bottle of champagne and popped the cork, sending it flying into the darkness. He then poured them each a glass as Clara got comfortable on the bed, sitting against a pile of pillows against the headboard. John passed her a glass and then sat next to her as they were facing the ocean.

“To us.” He said as they clinked glasses.

They each took a drink and then John wrapped an arm around his now fiancée and pulled her into his side. Clara couldn't stop looking at the ring, still completely in shock. So many thoughts were running through her mind.

“When did you get this?” She asked as she held out her hand.

“After your last visit to Cardiff.”

“Really?” She said a little surprised that he had bought it then.

“Yep.” He said as he held her hand up and then smiled at her. “Went into a jewelry shop and this just called to me. I knew that my impossible girl needed a unique ring just like this.”

“Oh John.” Clara sighed as she touched her lips to his. “I love you so much.”

“I'm just so happy you said yes.”

“You were afraid I might not?” She questioned.

“Yes. You've been saying things lately that made me think you might think it's too soon.”

Clara thought back to the couple of occasions where she had said that, and although the rational side of her believed that at the time, she had also said it because she just didn't want to get her hopes up that John might want to marry her.

“I think the control freak in me would say yes, it's too soon, but I'm not listening to her. I'm listening to my heart and it says that you John Smith have ruined me for all other men, so I had better marry you.”

“Ruined you?” He questioned. “How have I done that?”

“This.” She said motioning around her. “Not to mention the mind-blowing orgasms you give me.”

“Ahh, well then my plan worked.” He said as he took the empty champagne flute from her hand and placed them on the ground next to the bed. “I thought I would seduce you to the point that you wouldn't be able to say no to me.”

He wrapped both his arms around her and kissed her passionately, moving her down on the bed. John slowly and carefully stripped Clara of her clothes before covering every inch of her body in kisses. He wanted to remember and savor this moment as the first time he made love to the woman who would be his future wife and the last time they would make love on the beach. At least for this trip. John finally entered her as I love yous were softly whispered and their bodies began to move as one. Clara had never felt so loved in all her life and couldn't wait to spend the rest of her life with him.

When they were done, they held each other and stared out over the ocean, watching the moonlight dance and the stars twinkle. There were still many decisions that they needed to make, kids or no kids, move into John's house or get something new, long engagement or short. But right now, in this moment none of that mattered.

\--------------------

The next day they packed and got ready to make the long journey back to London. It was going to be hard to leave their little bit of paradise behind, but John promised that he would bring her back one day, but the next time would be as his wife. The idea was still quite strange to her and she knew it was going to take some time getting used to the thought.

Once they got back to London, they went immediately to John's house and crashed. The flight had been an overnight flight and arrived on Sunday morning, and neither of them had gotten much sleep on the plane. After sleeping for a few hours, John woke up first and saw that he had a message from Donna. He quietly got out of bed and went downstairs to call her.

"Hey!" Donna said as she answered her phone.

"Hi." He said. "How are you?"

"Great. Did you guys have a nice trip?" She asked.

"Really nice, thanks. In fact, Clara and I were wondering if you and Lee don't have plans for New Year's Eve we would love to have you over."

They had decided on the flight home that they would have a small dinner party for New Year's Eve and tell their closest friends then about their news. When they landed, Clara sent Amy a message to invite her and Rory.

"That sounds fun. Count us in." She answered.

"Good. Clara's friends Amy and Rory are going to come over too, so should be a good time."

"Nice. So, are you ready to talk work for a second?"

"Hit me." He said.

"I found out more about who took the picture of River kissing you. Turns out River paid a PA to take the picture and then she leaked it to the tabloid."

"Fuck!" John exclaimed. “What the bloody hell is she playing at?”

“It sounds like she was hoping to start some gossip, but rest assured, I stopped it dead in it's tracks.”

“Thanks Donna, but I need to do something to put an end to this once and for all.”

“Let me think about this and look into things more. Right now, you just worry about enjoying your last week off and planning a good New Year's Eve party.” Donna told him.

“Will do. Thanks Donna.”

He ended his call and had originally thought about going back to bed, but was now too angry. He walked into the kitchen and was hit with an image of River cooking him breakfast, and then another of Clara doing the same. This house was full of so many memories, both good and bad, but as he looked around he realised that some of those belonged to River and for the first time he truly felt like he was one hundred percent ready to close that book and burn it. He had held on to this house after his divorce because despite the anger he had for her, there was comfort in these memories. But he didn't need them anymore and in fact he hadn't since Clara walked into his life. He wanted new memories with her, in a new home. He wasn't sure what to do about River, but he knew he could do something about this house. He picked up his phone and made another call.

\-----------

“Clara hurry up.” John yelled from down the stairs. “We're going to be late.”

They were on their way to have brunch with Clara's dad and gran, and for some reason she was having a difficult time trying to decide what to wear.

“Sorry, but I couldn't find a clean sweater.” She said as she appeared and started walking downstairs. “I just realised that a lot of my winter stuff is at my flat and since we've only been back for a couple of days, I haven't had time to go back.”

“Well why don't we stop there after brunch and you can pick up some stuff.” He offered as they put their coats on.

“Good idea.” She said.

“You know, we haven't really talked about living arrangements.” John said as he locked the front door and he took Clara's hand as they walked towards the tube.

“What about it? I assume that I would move into your house, but we've only been engaged for like a second John. Isn't it too soon to be thinking about that?”

“Well maybe we should think about it sooner rather than later. I mean it doesn't make much sense for us to be going between two places, and when I'm home, we're always together.” John said as they continued walking.

“True, so are you asking me to move in with you?” Clara asked.

“Well you are going to be my wife, but actually I was suggesting I move in with you.”

“Say what now?” Clara said, taken aback by what he said.

“I was going to surprise you after we eat, but I made an appointment for us to meet with a realtor this afternoon.”

“Why?” Clara questioned.

“Because I’m going to sell my house. I thought maybe it would be nice for us to get something together to start building new memories. Where I have no connection to River.”

Clara stopped walking, causing John to stop just ahead of her and turn around. He thought she would be happy, but right now he couldn’t read her expression.

“But you love that house.” She said.

“I used to love that house. I love you more and want to live in a place that we choose together.”

Clara flung her arms around John's neck and hugged him with all her might. She would never have admitted it to John, but it did bother her that River used to live in that house and at times she couldn't help but let her mind wander when she looked at a certain area and thought about John being with River there. It made her so happy to hear that he wanted a new place, a place that was them.

“Thank you.” She said as she gave him a quick kiss.

“You're welcome. I had no idea it would make you this happy.”

“It's just all starting to seem so real.” She beamed at him.

“Well it should because it is. Now come on I don’t want to feel the rath of your gran for us being late.”

They were about 10 minutes late by the time they made it to the restaurant. They all happily greeted one another and then sat down at their table.

“Clara you are practically shooting light beams out of you, you look so happy.” Gran said.

“I am.” She smiled at John and he smiled back at her.

“Well you two look like you had a good vacation.” Her dad added.

“I think it's safe to say we had a memorable trip.” John said grinning.

“Alright spill.” Gran said noticing the looks the two lovers kept giving each other.

Clara looked at her gran and knew she wouldn't have been able to hide anything from her. She never could.

“John asked me to marry him and I said yes!” She exclaimed as she showed her ring to her gran.

“My word! Look at that Dave!” Gran said.

Clara looked at her father and was unable to tell how he felt. His face was neutral as he looked between the ring and his daughter's eyes.

“Dad?” Clara said, slightly nervous that he wasn't going to agree with her getting married.

“Wow, I really didn't expect that.” He finally said.

“Dave, I know that you're probably thinking it's too soon and that we haven't known each other for that long, but I can tell you honestly that I have known almost instantly that Clara was the one for me. She is the kindest, most caring, funny, and strong-willed woman I've ever met. You raised an amazing woman and I plan on spending the rest of my life treating her with the love and respect she deserves.”

Tears were in Clara's eyes at hearing John's words about her. How did she ever get this lucky to find someone that loved her this much?

"Oh John." She said as she leaned over and gave him a quick kiss.

Dave listened to John and watched the way the two interacted. There was no doubt in his mind that John was being honest.

"Who am I to argue with that kind of statement. You might not be the man I imagined my little girl marrying, but I don't think anyone could love her as much as you do." Dave said to John and then turned to Clara. "You're happy honey?"

"So happy dad." She answered.

"That's all I need to hear. Congrats you two!" He said as he stood up to hug his daughter and for the first time hugged John as well.

The four spent the rest of the meal talking about Christmas and John and Clara's trip. Her gran was full of questions about wedding planning, but Clara told her that since they had just gotten engaged they hadn't really discussed much. She made her granddaughter promise to let her help with planning and of course Clara wouldn't have it any other way. When brunch was over they walked out of the restaurant and as Clara and her gran were saying goodbye, Dave took John aside.

"I know that things didn't start off on the right foot, what with Linda and all, but know that I am really happy Clara found you. Not since her mother was alive have I seen her this happy and I know that it's because of you." Dave told John.

"Well she does the same for me. I thought I knew what happiness felt like, but with her," he hesitated, "I don't even have the words to describe it."

"I get it, John. It's how I felt about her mother." Dave said a little solemn, but gave his future son in law a little smile.


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much everyone for the amazing feedback last chapeter. Love you guys!

Clara was just putting the finishing touches on the dining room table. Donna, Lee, Amy and Rory wouldn't be there for another hour, but she wanted to make sure everything was perfect since it was their first time hosting a dinner party and they would be sharing their big news. It had been so hard to not tell Amy when she got home, which is why she texted her inviting them for New Year's Eve. She knew that if she actually spoke to her she wouldn't be able to not tell her. It actually felt like a lot had happened since they returned from St. Lucia, they had met with a realtor, who was going to come by in a couple of days to look at the house, discussed possible neighbourhoods to live in, and started packing the guest room in the house.

"Everything looks great sweetheart." John said as he came up behind Clara and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Thanks." She answered as she turned in his arms. "I'm so excited to share our news tonight."

"Me too, which leads me to ask, have you thought about when we are going to get married." John said as he led her into the living room to sit down.

"No, actually I haven't. I guess we should since that is usually the first question people ask. What about you?"

"I was hoping we could do it in June, when I finish shooting." He said.

"That's only six months away!" Clara exclaimed. "I can't plan a wedding in that amount of time!" She suddenly felt a wave of anxiety hit her at the thought.

"It's okay. We don't have to. It was just a thought because I don't want to wait any longer to be your husband." He said as he took her hands in his.

"I guess I was thinking more along the lines of next Fall, but I also didn't think about your shooting schedule."

"Well we don't need to decide right now, what about we start with what kind of wedding do you want, since that might dictate how much time we need to plan." John suggested.

"I know for sure I don't want some big lavish ceremony. I was never one of those girls that dreamed about her wedding day." Clara said.

"Well at least we can agree on that. The smaller the better for me." John added.

"Then maybe Spring, might work." She stated.

"Really?" John said sounding hopeful.

"Yeah, I mean there is part of me that is thinking this is completely daft because we wouldn't have even known each other for a year, but then there's another part of me that's thinking why wait."

"Fantastic!" John exclaimed and pulled Clara into him to give her a long slow kiss.

Their kissing led to a bit of snogging on the couch until the doorbell rang. Clara went upstairs to fix her hair and makeup, while John went to answer the door. When he opened it, it was Lee and Donna.

“Hi.” John said as the couple walked in.

“Sorry were a tad early.” Donna said as they entered. “I would say I hope we didn't interrupt anything, but I can see that we did.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” John questioned, not sure how she would know that he and Clara had been going at like teenagers on the couch.

“Your hair’s a mess, well messier than usual, and you have lipstick on your neck.”

He turned and looked in the hall mirror and sure enough Donna was right.

“Good for you mate.” Lee added as he slapped John on the shoulder and he and Donna walked into the living room.

“Will you two ever stop getting enough of each another.” Donna said as she sat down on the couch.

“Not likely.” Clara said from the top of the stairs. “I told you Donna, he's sexy as hell.”

“And I don't think I'll ever get it.” Donna answered.

The four sat and chatted for a bit, while waiting for Amy and Rory to show up. Clara was doing her best to hide her hand because they had wanted to share their news once everyone was there and Donna had eyes like a hawk so she would for sure be able to pick up on the ring. Luckily, she didn't have to wait much longer as the doorbell rang. John got up to answer it and returned with the other couple.

“Sorry we’re late, but I'm suddenly having a hard time finding clothes to fit.” Amy said as she hugged Clara.

“Well you look great. You're practically glowing!” Clara said.

“Me? Look at you! You're so tanned.” Amy exclaimed.

“Yep. I had strict orders from Donna to make sure his pale arse got some sun.” She answered as she gestured to John who had taken a seat in one of the chairs.

“Oh please tell me you didn't take that literally, Clara!” Donna groaned.

“Maybe.” She said as she smirked. “Anyway, Amy and Rory this is Donna and Lee.”

The couples exchanged their greetings, then Amy and Rory took a seat on the love seat, leaving Clara with no place to sit. John looked at her and patted his thigh, giving her a sly grin. She shrugged her shoulders and went and sat on his lap, while he wrapped his arms around her.

“So, I see the trip did nothing to change how sickeningly sweet you two are.” Amy said.

“Oh I like you.” Donna said.

The two women shared some stories about the times that they had walked in on their friends. Amy told them about the time that John showed up at Clara's flat and just started snogging her, without noticing Amy was there. Donna shared her story about walking in on them half naked in the kitchen.

“Okay so we've established that you two are going to be lifelong friends." John said. "If you’re done, Clara and I have some news to share."

"Oh my god you're going to have a baby!" Donna exclaimed, before the couple could say anything.

"Clara that would be bloody brilliant if you are! Are you?" Amy chimed in.

"No!" Both Clara and John said at the same time.

"Why do you immediately think that's our news Donna!" John asked.

"Because you two shag like bloody rabbits. An accident was bound to happen." She answered.

"Donna, why don't you let us get married first before we have a baby." Clara said.

"Fine, so what's your news." She said.

Clara and John looked at each other and rolled their eyes at their friends.

"That's our news." John said.

"What is?" Amy added.

"Oh my god you two are daft. They're getting married!" Rory finally said, putting an end to the ridiculousness. "Did you not notice the ring on Clara's finger?"

Both Donna and Amy looked at Rory and then looked at Clara who was flashing them her ring.

"Ahhhhhh Clara!" Amy screamed as she jumped up to hug her friend. "I can't believe it!"

"Doctor, you old goat!" Donna exclaimed as she hugged John. Then Rory and Lee got up to get in on the celebrations as well.

"Okay I want all the details!" Amy said as she sat back down.

John let Clara tell the story, as he loved hearing her tell it. It was something he thought he would never get tired of. Once she was finished the women had a ton of questions, of which most they couldn't answer because they hadn't decided much yet. They told them the only thing that had been decided was that it would be a small wedding and likely in June.

"June!" Amy stated. "Clara that's when I'm due."

"Oh my god, Amy. I forgot." Her friend said. "Nothing's set in stone. We could do the wedding before or after the baby comes."

"After. If that's okay. I don't want to be the size of a house for it." Amy said.

Clara looked a John, knowing that he wanted to get married sooner rather than later. John smiled at her and she knew that he was okay with it.

"Okay Amy. Does July work for you?" Clara asked.

"Yes. Thank you." She said.

"Well if we're getting married in July now, I think there is no question that the date should be the 28th." John added and Clara looked at him. "That's the date we met."

"July 28th it is then." Clara said as she smiled at him and gave him a small kiss on the lips.

"Does this mean you're going to move in here now?” Amy asked Clara.

“Actually, I'm going to sell the house.” John answered and looked at Donna. She smiled at him knowing the significance of him giving up his home.

“Really!?” Amy said. “But it's such a lovely house.”

“It is.” Clara added. “But we want to find something that is both of us.”

“Well I for one think it's a great idea.” Lee added.

The three couples chatted some more before dinner was ready, talking about neighbourhoods to live in, Clara and John's trip, and what the others did during Christmas. After dinner was over they decided to play some board games, while they had drinks. As it got closer to midnight, John went into the kitchen to get some champagne and Clara decided to help him with glasses. As soon as they were away from the others, John pulled Clara in for a kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist while she slid hers around his neck and ran a hand up into his curls.

“I'm beginning to think that you're like a drug.” John said as he slowly pulled his lips away. “I can't seem to get enough of you.”

“Good because you're going to be stuck with me for the rest of your life.” Clara said.

“I wouldn't have it any other way.” John replied as he kissed her again.

They got the champagne and glasses and went back into the living room to join the rest, just in time to fill the flutes with the bubbly liquid. Midnight hit, and everyone wished each other a happy new year before turning to their significant other.

“Happy New Year, Clara.” John said as he grinned at her.

“Happy New Year indeed.” She replied as she leaned forward and gave him a slow sensuous kiss.

Their friends stayed for a couple of hours after midnight and then managed to hail cabs to take them home. As soon as the door was shut, John grabbed Clara and picked her up over his shoulder. She screamed out of surprise, but then laughed all the way upstairs as he threw her on the bed and proceeded to make love to her for the rest of the night.

\-----------

“This is the backyard.” John said as he showed, Scott, his real-estate agent, outside. “It’s not much, so I never really used it.”

“Great. Even a small yard is an excellent selling point.” He said as he jotted some notes into his tablet. “Okay I think that’s it. I have a pretty good idea of what we should ask. Have you and your fiancée thought more about what you’re looking for in a new place?”

“We have.” John said as he led Scott back into the living room where Clara was waiting.

“Alright, what are the three main features you want your home to have?” He said as he sat down in a chair across from John and Clara.

“A spacious kitchen, a big back yard, and the master bedroom has to have an ensuite and walk in closet.” Clara said.

“That sounds easy enough to do. Backyard might be tricky in London, so are you willing to go out of the area a bit?” Scott asked.

“We are.” John said. “We're in no rush, so if it takes a little longer to find the perfect place, so be it.”

“Okay. I'll head back to the office and start on the listing and paperwork for your house.” Scott said as he stood up. “If it's alright with you, I'd like to have an open house next weekend, but I can go over those details with you later.”

“Great. I'll be heading to Cardiff in a couple of days, but if there's anything you need let Clara know.” John said as he shook Scott's hand.

“Is it okay if I'm not here for the open house?” Clara asked. “I was planning on going to see John that weekend.”

“Not a problem. I'll just grab a spare key from you at some point and I'll take care of the rest.”

“Sounds great.” Clara said.

John showed him out and then turned to Clara grinning. He was just so excited to go house shopping with her, but more so he was thrilled to be one step closer to living with her.

“You didn't tell me you planned on coming to Cardiff next weekend.” He said as he flopped down on the couch next to her and reached for the TV remote.

“I’m not about to let you spend your birthday alone, now am I?” She said.

“Oh that. I was hoping you might forget that I was turning another year older.” He said as he started flipping through channels.

“Never.” She said. “Besides, don't you want your birthday gift?”

“Damn!” He said as he sat up and looked at her. “We forgot about our Christmas!”

“Oh my god, you're right!” She answered, just as completely shocked as John. “How the hell did we do that.”

“Clearly we got wrapped up in everything that has been happening.” John answered. “Do you want your gift now?”

“Oh no! You better not have bought me anything. You've already given me so much.” Clara exclaimed.

“I could never give you too much sweetheart, but this gift comes from the heart, not a shop.” John said knowing that Clara would be upset if he had spent more money on her.

“Okay, but me first.” She said as she jumped up off the couch and ran upstairs.

“Close your eyes.” She said just before she came back down.

“Okay, they're closed.” He yelled back and heard her coming down the stairs and then put something on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“Okay, you can open them.” She said waiting to see his reaction.

John opened his eyes and saw a guitar case with a giant red bow on it. He leaned forward and opened the latches and discovered that it was a cobalt blue Gibson Les Paul, the very same one he had tried and fell in love with when they had gone into a shop on Denmark Street in Soho one day. He remembered that they had been shopping on Oxford and he dragged her down that way to look at guitars. He always loved looking at them and would often go into shops to admire and occasionally try them out for fun. He only had the one electric guitar, mostly because he thought he would look like a wannabe rock star if he started buying more. Clara had tried to convince him that day to buy this one, but he said no and they left.

“Clara, this is, wow.” He said completely shocked. He was running his hand down the neck and then lifted it out.

“You like it?” She said smiling at seeing his reaction to it.

“Like it? I love it!” He said. “But this is too much.”

“Nonsense. I had been saving for a while to take a vacation and after you gave me my gift of our trip, I decided I wanted to do something nice with the money. I remembered the way you looked playing that guitar and I knew you loved it, so I went back and got it for you.” She said.

“You have no idea how much this means to me.” He smiled at her. “Do you want your gift now?”

“Sure, but don’t you want to play it first.”

“I will.” He said as he stood up and walked towards the stairs. “Come on, we need to go to my office for your gift.”

Clara followed him and was almost expecting to see another painting of her, but his easel was empty, which made sense because he hadn’t been home much to paint. Instead he walked over to his amp and plugged in his new guitar. He strummed a few cords and smiled.

“Have a seat.” He said as he motioned towards the couch that was in there. “Alright, I hope you like this because I’ve never done anything like this before, but you made me want to try. “

John began strumming and a beautiful melody came out of his amp. Clara didn’t recognize the tune, but loved the way it sounded. Then John began singing and the lyrics were perfect, but again unfamiliar. By the time he finished, Clara was in tears. He set his guitar down and came over to sit next to her on the couch, wrapping his arms around her.

“Oh my god John! Did you write that?” She asked.

“I did.” He said bashfully.

“That was the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard!” She exclaimed.

“Well I don’t know about that, but it definitely came from my heart. I mean it Clara, when I say that I really didn’t know what love felt like until you walked into my life. I know it sounds cliché and sappy, but you just bring out the best in me.” He placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Oh John.” She sighed as she began to slowly kiss him. Kissing that inevitably led to them making love on the couch and then continuing in their bedroom until the sun came up. As long as they both had air in their lungs they would never get tired of each other.


	48. Chapter 48

“Seriously Clara, you need to start planning this wedding.”  Amy said as the two women were walking towards the staffroom at the end of their first day back to work. 

“I just don’t know what I want.  I know that this will come as a surprise to you, but I was never the kind of girl who dreamt about her wedding day.” Clara answered. 

“Come on, you’re marrying a celebrity!  It needs to be a big lavish event.”  Amy said as she pushed the staffroom door open. 

“No, that is the one thing John and I can agree on, we don’t want a big wedding.”   

“Did someone say wedding?”  Sara said from the table where she was marking papers.  Clara glared at Amy for mentioning the wedding, when she was trying to be low key about it.  Amy just smiled at her and sat down next to Sara. 

“Clara, you have something you want to share?”  Amy said. 

“Uhm, I got engaged.”  Clara said. 

“Ahhhhhh!  Oh my god!  Jane get over here and see this!”  Sara screamed to Jane who was on the other side of the room.  “Let me see the ring!” 

Sara grabbed Clara’s hand as Jane made her way over and the girls started gushing over her diamond and asking questions about the proposal.  A couple of more colleagues joined in on the questions and celebrations until Danny walked in.   

“What’s all the commotion about?  I can hear you guys outside in the hall.”  He asked. 

“Everyone was just wishing their congratulations to Clara.”  Amy said, giving him a smug look.  Clara glared at Amy again, who was very lucky to be pregnant otherwise she would have been on the receiving end of a bollucking. 

“Congratulations for what?”  Danny asked looking at Clara. 

“I’m getting married.”  She said coldly. 

“Are you serious?  You can’t be serious!”  Danny said raising his voice, causing people to slink out of the room. 

“Really Danny!  When is this going to stop!”  Clara raised her voice, annoyed that once again he had to give his opinion about her relationship.  “I have had enough with you!  You have no right to tell me what I can and can’t do with my life and the decisions I make are no business of yours!”   

“I just think that you deserve so much better Clara.  Despite what happened to us, you are a caring and generous person who should be with someone who can give you everything you want.  Someone who can grow old with you.  Someone who isn’t going to leave you for the next young thing that turns his head.” 

“Okay you follow me now!”  Clara said in her sternest teacher voice and walked out of the room.  Danny followed her all the way to her classroom where they entered. 

“Sit down.”  Clara ordered as she shut the door and Danny did as he was told. 

“You are going to listen to me and not say a word until I am done talking.  Do you understand?” 

“Clara, look…” 

“Do you understand?”  She yelled more forcefully. 

“Yes.”  He finally agreed. 

“Okay.”  She said and took a breath trying to calm down.  “I love John and he loves me.  Period.  I have never felt more loved in my entire life and there is no one on this planet who I trust more than him.  He is my everything and I have never, and I mean never, felt this way about any man before.  It's why I agreed to marry him despite the fact that we have only been together for six months.  I don't need any more time to know that there will never be another man for me.  I am truly sorry that you got dragged into this in the beginning and for that I sincerely apologise, but your behaviour after has been inexcusable.  You have been immature, arrogant, and worst of all disrespectful to me as a woman, thinking that I need a man or anyone for that matter, to protect me.  The decisions I make are mine to make and no one else's.  I had hoped that once you calmed down and moved on that we could be friends, but I see that that is never going to be an option.  We are colleagues and nothing more.  I never want to hear you talk to me or anyone else about my relationship again.  And this is the last time I am saying this.  Do I make myself clear?” 

“Yes.”  Danny said quietly.  “I'm sorry Clara.  I never meant to make you feel disrespected.” 

“I’m not the only one you need to apologise to, and I mean it this time Danny.  You have been rude and insulting to John, insinuating that he cheated on his ex-wife when it was her that cheated on him.  He is not the man that you have made him out to be and you need to acknowledge that.” 

“Fine.”  He said with a sigh as he hung his head.  “I never told you this, but I was in love with you Clara and that’s why it hurt so much.  Why it was so hard for me to believe that this man had just walked into your life and in the blink of an eye you were willing to throw away what we had.” 

“But that’s the thing Danny.  What we had was one sided.”  Clara said. 

“I know that now, but at the time I guess I just kept trying to make myself believe that if we just took things to the next level, it would change.” 

“And before John even came into the picture I kept telling myself the same thing.  If I just give it more time, the spark might ignite.  All John did was make me realise that I was fooling myself.  I truly am sorry Danny that I didn’t end it sooner.”  Clara said as she sat down next to him. 

“Me too.”  He looked at her and gave her a small smile. 

“Thank you for finally listening to me.”  Clara said. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t do it sooner and I’m sorry for all the trouble I have given you and John.”  He said as he stood up.  “And the next time I see him I will apologise to him as well.” 

“I appreciate that.”  Clara replied. 

Danny smiled at her and walked out.  Clara gave a big sigh of relief as she felt like this was finally finished.  Now they just needed to sort out River and all would be right with the world.  She was just about to call John and tell him, but Amy walked into her room. 

“You okay?”  She asked. 

“I’m perfect, actually.”  Clara said. 

“So, you finally got through to him?” 

“I really think so.  We finally talked about things that we should have talked about long ago.” 

“That’s great Clara!”  Amy exclaimed.  “Do you want to come over for dinner tonight, since you’re solo gain?  We could look at wedding dresses online.” 

“Yeah, I would like that.”  She said as she got up and left with her best friend. 

\------------ 

John was having a really good week at work.  He was still on a high from his vacation, but Clara had made it so much better when she told him about Danny.  It was about time that pillock understood that nothing was going to come between him and his impossible girl.  Now he just needed to sort out River.  They hadn't been working together this week and John didn't really want to go out of his way to find her, so he figured he'd wait until next week.  Donna still hadn't come up with a plan, so he decided to take matters into his own hands and talk to Michael first.  He had just wrapped for the day and decided there was no time like the present, so he headed to his office and asked his assistant to speak to him. 

“John!”  Michael exclaimed as he got up from his desk as John entered the room.  “Why didn’t you tell me sooner!”   

Michael shook John’s hand and clapped him on the shoulder, as John looked at him wondering what he was talking about. 

“Jackie had dinner with Clara last night and couldn’t help but notice the ring on her finger.  You lied to me when I asked if you were going to pop the question.” 

“Oh!”  John said understanding now.  “I technically didn’t lie since I didn’t really know if I was going to do it or not, but we had such a great week that it just seemed like the right place and time.” 

“Well I’m very happy for you both.  Congratulations!”   

“Thanks.” 

“So, is that why you’re here?”  Michael asked as he took a seat on the couch in his office.  John sat in the chair opposite. 

“That was one of the reasons.  The other is River.”  John stated. 

“What about her?” 

“She’s causing problems and I’m not sure what to do about her.”  John went on to tell Michael about the Christmas party and the photo that appeared online the next day, courtesy of River.   

“I just don’t know what to do, Michael.  I’ve tried to be straight with her, but she’s just not getting it.  I don’t want to give up this job because of her, but if she’s continuing on this show after this season, I don’t know if I can.” 

“John I’m really sorry that she did that.  That is completely unacceptable.  For now, leave this with me, okay.  I promise you we will work this out.” 

“Thanks Michael.  I really didn't want to drag you into this, but I just want to marry Clara and not have this over my head.  I didn't tell her about River being behind the stunt at Christmas and I would really like to keep her away from my ex.” 

Michael agreed and the two men talked about their vacation.  After about 20 minutes John left and went home to make dinner.  After he finished eating, he was in the kitchen cleaning up when a knock came to his door.  He had no idea who it could be, so he threw the dish towel on the counter to go find out.  When he opened the door he was completely surprised. 

“How did you find where I live?”  John asked. 

“I have my ways.” River replied.  “Can I come in?” 

“No.”  John said. 

“Please, John.  Michael spoke to me and I want to clear some things up.  And I'd rather not do it in the hall way.” 

John thought for a moment and then decided that this might be his chance to have a once and for all conversation like Clara did with Danny.  So he invited her in. 

“This is nice.”  She said as she entered. 

“Just get on with it River.”  He said as he shut the door and walked towards the living room and sat down in a chair.  River sat near him on the couch.  It almost brought a smile to his face as the memory of shagging Clara in that same spot sprang to his mind, but he did his best to hide it. 

“Michael told me that Donna seems to think I paid a PA to take a photo of you and I at the Christmas party.  I'm here to tell you that I did not.  I don't know who this person is or why they lied, but I wouldn't do such a thing.  I told you John that I was going to behave and I meant it.”  River said. 

“Well pardon me if I don't believe you.”  John responded.   

“John, what do I need to do to get you to trust me again?” 

“Nothing.  There’s nothing you can do that will make that happen.”  He said. 

“Look I know I made mistakes, but can't we just put that behind us and move on?  I was stupid John and made one mistake.” 

“One mistake?!  River you made one mistake multiple times.”  John said raising his voice.  “I'm so done with this!” 

“I know, okay!  I fucked up!”  River yelled back.  “But you had no idea what I was going through at the time.  I was an aging actress who was losing parts to younger women, while your career was starting to take off the older you got.  Top it off with you really wanted a family and I just didn't see how that could fit in to my life.  I would have to carry the baby, get fat, not be able to work, all while you went off and became famous.  I was jealous and when Matt started hitting on me I went with it.” 

“And did you ever think to share any of that with me, your husband.  No instead you fucked the first young thing that came along.”  John replied. 

“The same could be said for you.”  She said. 

“My one night stand was a mistake.  I didn't go back for more like you did.  I was drunk and angry, but most of all I didn't bring her into our home.”  John shouted. 

“No you just did that with the young thing you're fucking now.”  River yelled. 

John stared at her with so much hatred in his eyes, River stood her ground and didn't back down. 

“How dare you!”  John yelled.  “First, that is my house now and second Clara is the most important person in my life, so do not, and I mean it, DO NOT EVER refer to her that way!” 

“I know it's your house, but we bought it together.  I'm sure you have memories of us shagging all over the place.  Tell me John, did you do the same with her because I know what kind of appetite you have.” 

John took a deep breath.  This argument was going nowhere and he was tired of it.  This was all they ever did and it was all they would ever do. 

“River, I've had enough.  Was there a point to this visit other than to tell me more lies?” 

“I didn't mean to go down this road John.  I just wanted you to know that I am really sorry for what happened between us.  You were my best friend and the only man I ever really truly loved.  Sometimes I wish this show was real and I really could get into a time machine and fix the past.” 

“But you can’t.”  He looked at her and knew that he needed to be brutally honest with her.  “Listen River, I want you to know that the time we spent to together was good, but it wasn’t as amazing as you are remembering it to be.  We were young and full of passion when we met and I mistook that passion for love.  Don’t get me wrong, I did love you, but I know now that it wasn’t the kind of love that makes a marriage last.” 

River looked at John with such sadness and for a moment he almost felt bad for saying what he was about to say, but it needed to be said. 

“Clara has made me realise what true love is, River.  And it’s why I asked her to marry me.” 

“What?”  She said confused. 

“Clara and I are getting married.”  John repeated.  “I know that you don’t want to hear it, but it needs to be said.  I have never loved anyone the way I love her and that includes you, River.  I’m sorry.” 

“No, John!”  She exclaimed as she got up from the couch.  John wasn’t sure what she was going to do, so he stood as well. 

“Yes, River.”  He answered.  “I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s the truth.” 

“John please.  You just need to remember the good times we had.”  She said as she moved closer to him.  “The passion we had.  Remember that?  All the times we made love, the way our bodies felt when we moved together.” 

River stepped closer to him and moved to put her hands on his chest, but John grabbed them and took a step back.  Immediately his legs came into contact with the chair he had been sitting in and he tumbled back, taking River with him.  She took advantage of the position and kissed him hard on the lips.  John was just about to push her away when he heard a voice. 

“What the fuck is going on?!”  Clara exclaimed as she walked in and saw River kissing John while sitting on his lap. 


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all the amazing feedback! I can't tell you how much it means to know that you guys are enjoying this story as much as I am enjoying writing it. Okay time to find out how Clara reacts....

Clara had decided to get a supply teacher for Friday and head to Cardiff a day early to surprise John.  She was excited to see him and couldn’t wait to wrap her arms around her fiancé.  When she arrived at his flat she was surprised to see his door was unlocked, so she opened it and immediately heard a woman's voice coming from the living room.  She dropped her bag and walked in to see River on top of John kissing him.

“What the fuck is going on?!”  She exclaimed.

John pushed River away and jumped up from the chair, sending her to the floor.

“Clara!  Oh my god!  This is not what it looks like!”  John exclaimed rushing over to her, but she took a step back from him, not really wanting him to touch her at this moment.

“What is she doing here John?!”  

“I came here to try and make him understand who he really belongs with.”  River said as she stood up.  “You walked in on me finally proving my point.”

“River!  Shut the fuck up!”  John roared and Clara flinched having never heard him yell that loud before.  “And get the fuck out now!” 

“John...”  River started to say, but was cut off by Clara.

“He said get the fuck out.”  She repeated rather calmly.

“Fine.  I’ll go, but this is not done John.”  River said as she moved towards the door.

“Yes, it is.”  Clara spoke again in the same calm tone.  Her tone was really starting to worry John.

“Excuse me, but this doesn’t involve you.”  River said.

“I think as his future wife it does.”  Clara said less calm and more angrily now.  She took a step towards River.  “This ends tonight.  You will not set foot in this flat again, you will not talk to him unless it's about work, and you sure as hell will keep your slag lips off of him.”

“Who do you think you are speaking to me like that!” River said as she raised her voice.

“The woman who will love and respect him until the last breath I breathe.  The woman who will always be there for him no matter what is happening in our lives, and the woman who will one day give him the family he always wanted.  That's who I am.  But I think the better question is who the hell do you think you are?”

“I'm the woman who loved him first.  The woman who was there when he was struggling to make it in this industry.”  River replied smuggly.

“And the English teacher in me would like to point out that all of your statements refer to the past, while mine refer to the future.  That's the difference between you and I River, you're his past and I'm his future.  Now will you kindly get out before I grab you by your mangy fucking hair and throw you out.”  Clara said as she walked over and opened the door.

River looked at John who nodded towards the open door.  “Go.”

She stormed out and Clara slammed it shut.  Both of them felt that this still wasn't over, but Clara at least felt like she got the upper hand.

“Clara.”  John started.

“No.”  She said sternly.  “What the hell was she doing here and how the hell did she get that close to you?  Again, I might add!”

“I can explain, okay.  It wasn’t at all what it looked like.  Please can we just go sit down.”  John begged as his heart was beating a mile a minute out of fear.

“I don’t want to sit down.”  She said as she started pacing.  She had never felt so angry.  “I can’t take this John.”

“I know sweetheart, and I’m sorry I let her in here, but I thought I could finally have it out with her once and for all.”

“And how did that work out for you?  Really well I see.”  She said angrily.

“Clara please.”  John begged.  

“No.  You’re going to listen to me first.  I have had it with her John.  I’m sick and tired of her being able to get so close to you, regardless of if you have anything to do with it or not.  This is the second time she kissed you and I swear to god if she does it again, I won’t be able to control what I do.  I know that it’s not you, but I want her out of our lives.  She doesn’t respect you, me or our relationship and she never will!  I don’t know what you need to do, but this stops.  Because if it doesn’t John, I don’t know if I can go through with this wedding.”  Clara stated forlornly as tears started to fall down her cheeks.

“No Clara!  Please don’t say that!”  John begged, as he felt the bottom falling out of his stomach and his heart being torn out of his chest at just the thought of Clara leaving him.  He reached out to her wanting to comfort her, but she stepped away from him.

“I’m sorry John, I just... I just can’t right now.”  She said as she took a step towards the door.

“Please Clara, don’t go!”  He said desperately. 

Clara turned and looked at him and saw the desperation, the pleading, the fear, and despite how angry she was, she felt bad to do this, but she needed to clear her head and she couldn’t do that while she was with him. 

“Stay with me.”  He whispered.

“I’m sorry John.”  She said as tears fell from her eyes.  “I just can’t.”

She picked up her bag, opened the door and walked out.  John started to follow her into the hall, but she turned around.

“Please, John don’t make this any harder than it already is.”  She cried as she turned and left.

John stood there for a moment as he watched his heart walk out.  Eventually he went back into his flat in a catatonic state, not even aware of what he was doing.  He wanted so badly to run after her, but knew her well enough to know that he needed to do as she asked and give her space.  How had this all happened so quickly?  Clara was right that something needed to be done about River, but what?  He picked up his phone and started to call Donna.

“Hey Doctor!  How’s Cardiff?”  Donna said as she happily answered the phone.

“Not good Donna.  Clara just walked out on me.”  He said sadly.

“What!?”  Donna yelled into the phone.  “What the hell happened John!?”

John started his story from the beginning, as Donna listened and didn’t interrupt him.  

“Donna, what I am going to do?  I can’t lose her.  I just can’t.”  He said as he finished.

“I know.  I know.”  She sighed.  “I’ll make some calls first thing in the morning, okay?”

“Yeah.”  John replied sounding utterly defeated.  “I just don’t know how I’m going to be able to continue working with her.”

“We’ll figure it out, I promise.  But in the meantime, try and get some sleep.  Clara loves you and despite what she may be feeling right now, she will come back.”

They said their goodbyes and John walked into the kitchen to pour himself a drink.  Despite what Donna said, he knew he wasn’t going to get any sleep knowing that Clara was out there somewhere feeling hurt and angry because of him.

\-------------

Clara walked out of John's and hailed the first cab she saw and asked the driver to take to a hotel that was close to the train station.  She checked in for one night and when she got into the room, she flopped onto the bed and finally allowed herself to cry.  She cried tears of frustration, sadness, and anger.  She didn't want to end it with John, but she just couldn't put up with River anymore and since she was a part of his job, she just didn't see a way to get rid of her.  After her talk she was feeling hopeful, but that feeling was long gone.  Once she dried her eyes, she picked up her phone and saw that John had sent her a message.  She didn't want to look at it, so she ignored it and called Amy instead.

“Aren't you supposed to be shagging your fiance's brains out with birthday sex right now.”  Amy said when she answered.

“Not after I walked in and saw his ex-wife snogging him.”  She replied sadly.

“What!?”  Amy yelled.  “Please tell me you slapped that bitch!”

“I didn't get physical, but words were exchanged before I kicked her out.”  Clara said.  “Amy, I don't know what to do?”

“Where are you now?”

“At a hotel.  I got mad at John and walked out.”

“Why did you get mad at him?  You know this was all her.”  Amy said.

“I know, but I'm frustrated.”  She sighed.  “There was that incident before Christmas, now this.  And she pretty much swore she wasn't done.  Amy, she's not going to stop until she breaks us up.”

“Clara you need to talk to John.”  Amy said.  “You two have to be a united front in order to defeat her.”  

“You need to stop reading those fantasy novels Amy.  You make her sound like she’s some evil witch that needs to be slayed.”

“Well, isn't she?  She's definitely a big giant slag.”  

“Seriously, Amy, what am I going to do?” 

“Go to John and talk.”  She said.

“I will, but not now, okay.”  Clara said.  “I just need to think and I can't do that with him.”  

“I get that Clara, but this is the man that you have agreed to marry and that means you can't just run away when the going gets tough.  It means you stay, you fight, you talk it out, and then you have crazy make up sex.”  Amy explained.

“I know Amy.”  Clara said annoyed out how right her friend was.  “And I will, I promise.”

Amy eventually let Clara get off the phone, but not until she promised to call her tomorrow to let her know everything was okay.  When she hung up, she debated looking at John's text and wasn't going to look at it, but then remembered what Amy had said.

**John:**    **I** **know you don't want to talk to me right now, but please just let me know that you're safe and okay.**

Of course he would be worried.  She was in a city where the only person she knew was him.  She thought for a moment and then started typing.

**Clara:** **I'm fine.  I'm at** **the Marriott.  Please try and get some sleep and I promise we will talk tomorrow.**

She knew it was risky telling him where she was because he might show up.  Lord knows he would have no problem charming the front desk person into finding her room, but she trusted him to respect her wishes.  She heard her phone ding and looked at the message.

**John:  Thank you.** **Know that I love you Clara and trust that we will work this out.**

**Clara:  I love you too.**

She put her phone down and went and got ready for bed.  She really did love him more than anything and couldn't see spending her life without him, but she just couldn't put up with the constant disrespect from his ex.  She finished in the bathroom and then went and got into bed.  She turned out the light, but knew she wasn't going to get much sleep as she stared at the side of the bed John normally slept on.


	50. Chapter 50

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all the great feedback! I can't believe that I have reached 50 chapters! Hope you like this one as much as you have the rest :)

John only got a couple of hours of sleep the night before.  He felt better after Clara had texted him and he knew she was okay, but he just couldn't stop thinking about his issue with River.  He laid awake most of the night thinking about possible solutions, but he always came back to the same answer.  Once it was a reasonable hour he texted Michael and asked if he could meet him at his office before his call time.  Michael agreed and said he would meet him an hour earlier.  

“John.”  Michael said as he entered.  “No offence, but you look like crap.  What's going on?”

“I'm here to tell you that I'm done.”   John said as he sat down across from him at his desk.

“What do you mean, done?”  Michael asked shocked.

“I'm done.  This will be my last season.”  

“But Donna's just reached an agreement for one more year.”

“And I'm not going to sign it.” John said.  “I'm truly sorry Michael because I didn't want it to end this way, but I cannot continue with this show as long as River is a part of it.”

“John, what happened?  Because I spoke to River yesterday and she assured me she would be professional.”

“Well she wasn't.  Instead, she somehow found out where I lived and showed up at my door.  Which tells me that there's someone who works for this show who is not respecting my privacy.”  

“John I'm sorry about that.”  Michael said.  “I will find out who and they will no longer be a part of this production.”

“It's not just that, Michael.”  John said as he sighed.  “I let her in, thinking that I might be able to talk some sense into her and tell her that Clara and I are engaged.  Stupid on my behalf I know, but I thought it might really sink in.  Long story short, it didn't and instead she threw herself at me and Clara walked in at that precise moment.”

“Oh John!”  Michael said.  “That explains why you look the way you do.”

“We can't handle it any more Michael and Clara has said if something isn't done about River, she can't go through with the wedding.  And right now, Clara is more important to me than this show, than my career, than anything.”

“Okay, I understand.”  Michael said calmly.  “I want you to explain to me in detail what happened at your flat.”

John recounted the previous night's events, and by time he finished Michael assured him that River would be dealt with once and for all.  However, that still wasn't enough for John.

“I'm sorry Michael, but I just can't agree.  Until I know with one hundred percent certainty that she is off the show, I can't sign that new contract.”  John said firmly.

“I understand.”  Michael said.

“And as for the rest of the season, I want no contact with her whatsoever, unless it's a shoot day.  I'm not doing read throughs or rehearsals with her.  I also want a new flat, with the least number of people knowing where it is.  I know that I am not usually a demanding celebrity, but this time I have to be.”  

“Understood.  It may take a few days to find a new flat, but we could put you up at a hotel in the mean time, if you'd like.”  Michael offered.

John thought for a moment and then agreed.  Michael told him he would take care of everything and in the meantime to go find Clara, he was going to cancel the shoot for today and move it to tomorrow.  

John looked at his phone as he walked out onto the street and saw that it was now 9:00 am.  He also saw that Clara hadn't called.  Fuck it, he thought as he hailed a cab, he was going over to her hotel and beg her for forgiveness and tell her he quit is job.

Twenty minutes later he was standing outside her room knocking on the door.  He certainly had a way with getting people to give him information they shouldn't and thought that maybe if his acting career goes down the toilet, he could become a spy.

“I knew you'd charm your way into finding my room.”  Clara said as she opened the door and let him in.

“That predictable, am I?”  He replied as he entered.

“Yes.”  She said as she walked over to the bed and sat down.  “You look like shit, by the way.”

John hadn't shaved, so he had a day's worth of stubble on his face, not to mention bags and dark circles under his eyes from not sleeping the night before.  He thought wearing his glasses would hide that, but clearly it didn't.

“Thanks.”  He said, unsure of where to sit because he still wanted to respect Clara's space.  He finally decided the chair next to the desk would do.  “Despite your and Donna's request, I didn't get much sleep.”

“I'm sorry.”  Clara said.  “I shouldn't have walked out.  I was just so angry that I couldn't think straight.”  

“I know sweetheart and I'm sorry that I let River into the flat.  I should have known that there would be no talking sense to her and she is never going to understand that what we had is dead and buried.”  He replied feeling more hopeful than when he walked in.

“But we're still left with the same problem, John.  You just said she's never going to stop and I can't live like that.”  

“I know.”  He said as he got up from the bed and went to sit next to Clara on the bed.  He reached for her hand and was happy that she let him hold it.  “That's why I went to Michael this morning and told him I quit after this season.”

“You what!?”  Clara said shocked.

“I told him as long as she is a part of the show, I won't be.  I also told him that the only contact I want with her is on days that I have to shoot.  No press, no rehearsals, no meetings, nothing.  I also told him I want a new flat where no one knows where it is except for those that need to.”

“Wow, John.  I don't know what to say.” 

“I thought all night Clara, and aside from having her killed, this is the only solution.”  He said as he gave her a little smile to let her know that he was joking about killing her.  Clara returned it.

“But John you love this role.”  She said.

“I love you more.”  He replied staring into her eyes and just now noticed how bloodshot and puffy they were.  It was clear she had been crying all night and his heart broke at the thought.  He brought a hand up to cup her cheek and she sighed as she leaned into it.  “You will never feel this way again and we will never spend another night apart after a row.  Neither of us look good the next day.”

She smiled at his attempt to lighten the situation.  “I agree with you on that, but there must be another way.”

“There isn’t.  I’m sick and tired of feeling like the BBC owns me and for once I made it known that they don’t.  If they think I’m worth it, then they will get rid of her.  If not, then I guess I’ll become a kept man until I find another gig.”

Clara hated the thought of John leaving the show because of River, but was relieved that he had made this decision.  She really hoped it wouldn’t come down to him leaving this way because he really deserved to go out better, but this was the only way to get River out of their lives, hopefully once and for all.

“I’ll keep you for the rest of my life, if I have to.”  Clara said and she turned her head and kissed the palm of his hand that was still caressing her cheek.

“So, we’re good?  You’re still going to marry me?”  He asked.

“Yes.”  She said and smiled at him.  John leaned forward and place a soft gentle kiss on her lips.

“Good.  Now, what are you doing here?  You were supposed to be coming tonight.”  He asked.

“I thought I would surprise you for your birthday.  Turns out I was the one surprised.”

“Sorry, I keep ruining your surprises.”  He replied.

“Yes, you do.”  She said.  “And why aren’t you at work right now?”  

“Michael postponed the shoot until tomorrow on the account that my life was in shambles and I look like shite.  Sorry, but I’m going to have to work tomorrow now.”

“That’s okay.”  Clara said as she yawned.  “Any chance we could go back to your place and get some sleep?” 

“Absolutely.”  John answered, as his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw that it was Donna.  “Sorry, I need to take this.  Donna’s clearly found out what I’ve done.”  

“Hi Donna.”  He said as he answered.

“What the hell were you thinking!?”  She said loud enough that Clara could hear.

“What needed to be done and should have been done the moment they said she was joining the show.  I’m sorry I didn’t call you first, but I knew you would try and talk me out of it.”

“I wouldn’t have done that.  But I don’t appreciate being blindsided by a call from the executives here in London.”  She said as she calmed down a bit.

“Sorry, I didn’t think of that.”  He replied.

“It’s okay.  Just in the future can you please let me know when you’re going to start making demands of the show runner.”

“You got it.”  

“Okay, so I don’t know exactly what you said, but I have a meeting this afternoon at the BBC.  In the meantime, I’m calling to tell you that you have been booked in at the Hilton and you can check in any time.  You just need to pack your stuff up at the flat and take what you need for the hotel.  The rest will be kept in storage and moved to a new place once they find one.”

“That’s great.  Thanks.”  

“Now, tell me what you said to Michael, so I can be prepared for this meeting.”

John went into detail about everything, while Clara went into the bathroom to have a quick shower and get ready for the day.  By the time she came out, John had finished his call.  The two went back to his flat to pack it up and then headed over to the Hilton to check in.   They were amazed when they found out it was the presidential suite and even more impressed when they walked in and saw the room.  It was an open concept living space with a posh looking living room on one side and a large table on the other that could be used for eating or meetings.  The windows ran the length of the suite and went from floor to ceiling, which provided a lovely view of the city out towards the bay.  

“Wow!”   Clara said as she walked around.  “I think it’s safe to say that the show feels bad about what has happened.”

“I think this is more Michael’s doing than anything.”  He replied as he shut the door after tipping the bellhop.

Clara walked over to the window and looked out over the city, as John walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

“Will Donna call when the meeting is over?”  She asked.

“She will, but that’s not likely for another couple of hours.”

“Come on.”  She said as she took one of his hands from her waist and led him towards the bedroom.  “I’m exhausted and need to take a nap.”

“Good idea.”  He said as they entered the room and laid down waiting for Donna to call with news of his future.


	51. Chapter 51

John woke up two hours later to the sound of his phone ringing.  He looked over at Clara who was still sound asleep, so he grabbed his phone and walked out to the living room.

“Donna.” 

“Hey.”  She said in a tone that he couldn't tell was good news or bad news.

“What's the verdict?”  He asked.

“Undecided.  They need to consult with their lawyers and they want to meet with you and River, not together obviously, but separately.”

“When?”  He asked.

“They're going to put a halt on production, effective immediately and want to meet with you and I on Monday.”

“Seriously!?”  He said surprised.

“Yes seriously.  John, what River did could be considered sexual assault and most definitely harassment.  So the production is not taking this lightly.”

“Wow, okay.  I never really thought of it like that.”  He said.

“I know you didn't, but River needs to realize that just because you were married doesn't make it okay to force herself on you.”  Donna replied.

“Thanks Donna.”  He said.  “I'll head back with Clara on Sunday afternoon.” 

“Okay.  Call me when you get in.  I want to see both of you Sunday night.”

John ended his call with his best friend and walked over to the window, staring out deep in thought.  He didn't even notice Clara come out of the room until he saw her reflection behind him. He turned and engulfed her in his arms as she wrapped hers around his waist and laid her head on his chest.

“Was that Donna?” She asked as they looked out the window together.  The sun was setting and it was casting a beautiful cascade of orange, pink, red, and yellow over the bay.

“Yeah.  Things have gotten a tad serious.  Production has been  halted and looks like I'm going back to London with you for some meetings.”

“Really?”  

“Yeah. I've never thought about it, but what she's doing could be considered harassment.”  He replied.

“Not could, John.  It is.”  Clara corrected him.

“You're right.  Donna said the same thing.”

“Well I'm glad that the show is taking this seriously.”  

“I'm sure it's just because they're worried about a lawsuit.  But yes, it's good.”  He agreed and leaned down to place a kiss on the top of her head.  “I'm really sorry for putting you through all this.”

“It's not your fault.  I'm really sorry I reacted the way I did last night.  With you that is, not River.  Her, I wish I had slapped across the face.”

John chuckled at the image.  “As much as I would have loved to have seen that, I'm glad you didn't.”

“Well if it happens again, that bitch is getting slapped.”  Clara said.

“Deal, but she's not getting that close to me ever again.”  John replied as he started running his hand up and down Clara's back.

“Can we just forget about all this for now?”  She asked.  “This is a beautiful view and I would just like to stay here taking it all in without talking about your crazy ex-wife.”

“Absolutely.”  John agreed.  “Just one moment.”

He let go of her and walked over to the light switch to flick it off.  Suddenly the view out the window got better because there weren't any indoor lights being reflected.  He then turned on some soft music and walked back over to Clara.  He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back to lean against his chest.

“Now this is perfect.”  He said.

“Almost.”  She said as she turned in his arms and kissed him.

The kiss started off slow and sweet, but soon John was trying to deepen it as he flicked his tongue at her lips, seeking an entrance, which Clara easily granted.  It had been so long since he had kissed her like this that he was desperate to get her out of her clothes and grabbed the bottom of her t-shirt only to suddenly be stopped.  Clara pulled her lips away from his and he looked at her perplexed, wondering why she would do that.

“You’re going to ruin your birthday surprise if you do that.”  She said as she took a step away from him.

“Oh,” he said with a smile, “and what surprise would that be, since my birthday isn’t until tomorrow?”

“Well I was going to wait, but I feel like giving it to you now.  Unless you want to wait?”  She answered as she kept moving back towards the bedroom door.

“Now is good.”  

“Okay, then.  Why don’t you wait in the bedroom while I go and change.”  She suggested.

She grabbed her bag and then disappeared into the bedroom, leaving John imagining what she might be changing into.  He really didn’t care what it was since he was sure it wouldn’t be on her for long.  He walked into the bedroom and decided that he would strip down to his boxers and wait for her on the bed.  After about 15 minutes he was beginning to wonder what was taking so long until Clara opened the door and stood there in a black silk robe, red stiletto heels, and her hair down in soft waves.  She had also touched up her makeup and was now wearing bright red lipstick that stood out against her porcelain skin and dark hair.

“Ready for your surprise, Tiger?”  Clara said as she moved her hand to the tie of her robe.

“Oh yeah.”  John said grinning.  She pulled the tie and shrugged the garment off, letting it fall to the floor.  John’s jaw fell open and he let out a long sigh.  Clara looked like a present ready to be unwrapped.  She was wearing what looked like a red ribbon wrapped around her body to form a teddy.  It barely covered all of her intimate places and was tied in a bow across her voluptuous breasts.  

“You said that I was all the present you needed for your birthday, so here I am ready to be unwrapped.”  Clara said as she moved towards the bed.

John got up and stood in front of her, running the end of the ribbon between his thumb and fingers.  “So, if I just pull this, it all comes off?”  He asked.

“It sure does.”

“Hmmm, I don’t think I’m ready to open you just yet.  Let me take you all in.”  He said as he motioned for her to turn around, which she did.  “Very nice wrapping job.”

“Thanks,” she said, “but I thought you’d be tearing into it.”

“Some gifts are precious and you need to take your time opening them.  You know, savour the moment.”  He slowly ran a hand down her bare arm until his hand reached hers and he brought it up to place a tender kiss on the back of it.  He then brought his thumb up to her bottom lip, where Clara kissed it.  “I like this lipstick.”

“I thought you might.”  She said as she reached forward and started rubbing his erection through his boxers.  “I also thought it might look good on a certain part of your body.”

Clara sat on the edge of the bed and turned John so that he was in front of her.  She pulled his black shorts down and his throbbing member sprang free, as John kicked them out of the way.  Clara wrapped her hand around his shaft and placed a very delicate kiss on the tip, then swirled her tongue around it before sliding his length between her luscious red lips.  He moaned at the feel of her hot wet mouth on him and couldn’t take his eyes off of her.  She continued to slowly slide her mouth up and down, smearing her red lipstick all over him.  Her hair had fallen into her face, so John took his hand and swept it out of the way, placing his hand on the back of her head.  The vision was so erotic and hot that he knew if she continued much longer he would explode and he so wanted to be in her when he did.

“Oh love, this feels so incredible.”  He groaned.  “I want to open my gift now.”

Clara gave him a couple of more pumps and then sucked on his tip before she pulled him out of her mouth.  She looked up at him, her lips almost bare now, but swollen from her actions.

“Where do you want me?”  She asked as she stroked his cock with her hand, rubbing what was left of the lipstick off.  

John put his hand over hers to stop her actions and then pulled her up and changed positions with her as he sat and she stood in front of him.  He started by trailing his hand down the ribbon that went from her cleavage and then disappeared between her legs.  Clara felt like her body was vibrating, with the anticipation of John unwrapping her.  He continued to caress between her legs, causing her to moan and grab his shoulder so she didn't lose her balance.  The sensation of the silk material rubbing against her swollen clit felt so good, but she was longing to feel more.  He knew he was sending her into a state as he moved his other hand around to grab her bottom.

“God you're beautiful.”  He said as he looked up at her.  She tilted her head down and kissed him hungrily, trying to encourage him to get on with it.  He gave her a couple of more strokes and then tore his mouth away from hers and grabbed the end of the ribbon.  He gave a gentle tug and the bow slowly came undone, exposing her full breasts and then falling completely to the floor leaving her naked except for her heels.  

“Change that, you're completely stunning.”  He said, amazed at the vision before him.

“You like your gift?”  She asked.

“Like it?  I fucking love it.”  He answered as he put his hands on her hips and pulled her toward him so he could place kisses on her firm stomach leaving a trail towards her gorgeous sex.  Once he reached her swollen nub, he pulled it into his mouth and sucked, while one hand snaked down to stroke between her folds and the other reached up to fondled her breasts.

Clara wasn't sure anymore who was receiving the gift because she was in utter ecstasy.  Her legs were starting to feel shaky so she placed a hand on John's shoulder and the other on the back of his head.  His tongue that had been swirling around her clit was now licking between her wet folds and the sensation was causing her to wither.  She needed more and she needed it now.

“Oh god, John, fuck me!”  She cried.

He sat up and looked at her giving her the devilish grin that told her she was going to be screaming in bliss very soon.  He wrapped his hand around his cock, giving it a few strokes before he pulled Clara forward.  As she straddled his lap he guided his throbbing member into her hot channel.

“Oh god I've missed you.”  John sighed as he felt like he was at home.

“Me too.”  Clara moaned enjoying the feel of him inside her.  She began moving up and down, leisurely at first, taking pleasure in the feel of him.  John found the spot on her neck that they both loved so much and began kissing her while his hands gripped her hips.  They maintained this pace for a while, until John yearned for more and stood up, taking Clara with him, turning them around to lay them on the bed, where he picked up the pace.

“Harder John!” Clara begged.

John lifted her legs and rested them on his shoulders so he could penetrate her deeper and move faster.  He could tell that Clara was getting close, which was good because he wasn't going to be able to last much longer. He brought his hand down to her apex and began rubbing her clit with his thumb as he pumped in and out of her.  That was all she needed for her to fill the room with screams of ecstasy.  John smiled with pride as he gave her a couple of more thrusts and then groaned his release.

He collapsed on the bed next to Clara, trying to get his breathing under control.  She rolled over on to her side and caressed his chest that was glistening with sweat.  They were both going to need a shower before they went anywhere for dinner.

“Good birthday surprise?”  She asked.

“Oh yes!”  He turned his head and flashed her a smile.  “You made me forget that I'm turning 59.”

He rolled onto his side and kissed her before he got up, extending his hand to her.

“Let's go try out the shower and then go grab a bite to eat.”  

“Sounds good.”  She said as they walked off towards the bathroom.  Despite the uncertainty of John's future, Clara was determined to show him a good time this weekend.  For now, they would make the most out of this beautiful hotel suite, and leave all the issues they had to be dealt with on Monday.


	52. Chapter 52

John and Clara got back to London late Sunday afternoon and as promised he called Donna and the two of them went over to her place for dinner.  She hadn’t heard any more news and wasn’t entirely sure what would happen the next day, but she wanted to be sure she had both John and Clara’s versions of what happened.  During their dinner, John got a call from the real-estate agent, so he excused himself to take the call.

“Well looks like I need to start packing.”  He said as he sat back down at the table.

“You sold the house?”  Clara said smiling at him.

“Yep.  A couple put an offer on it this afternoon and provided all the paperwork goes through, I’ll be homeless in three months.”

“Looks like I’m getting a flat mate because there is no way we’re going to have time to find a house before that.”  Clara said, excited that they were finally going to have one home.

“Yeah, kind of hard to shop for a house now that the shooting schedule is all messed up.”  John said.

"It’s also going to put a damper on the wedding planning too.”  Clara added.

“Well hopefully this will all get sorted tomorrow and everything can get back on track.”  Donna added, trying to move the subject away from the issues that were plaguing the couple.

The three continued their dinner and at the end of the night they decided to go back to John’s house instead of Clara’s flat.  They took a cab home and when they pulled up in front, Clara got out first and immediately stopped dead in her tracks.  

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me.”  She said as she looked at the stairs.  John got out and saw what Clara saw.

“River, what the bloody hell are you doing here.”  John said sternly.  River who had been waiting on the steps, got up and walked towards them.  Clara immediately stepped in front of John.

“I came to try and talk some sense into you, but what is that?”  River said as she pointed towards the for-sale sign.

“Exactly what it looks like.”  John answered.

“But you can’t sell our house.”  River replied sounding desperate.  

“I can and I have.  Now please leave, before I call the police.”  John said as he took his phone out of his pocket.

“No John!”  River pled.  “You can’t sell it!  Think of the memories!”

“That is EXACTLY why I’ve sold it!”  John yelled, not caring that they were on the street and no doubt the neighbours could hear.  “I don’t want to be reminded of you ever again!”

“How can you say that?”  She exclaimed.  “I love you John!”

“And I love Clara!  She is the woman I love more than anything in the whole world.  The woman who has shown me what true love is.  Her,” he yelled as he pointed at Clara.  “NOT YOU!”

“No John!”  River cried.  “You can’t love her!”

“Enough!”  Clara yelled, not being able to be passive any longer.  She tried to stay out of it, but she just couldn’t stand by while this woman acted as if she weren’t a part of John’s life.

“I have had it with you!  You had your chance with him and you blew it!  And I for one am very happy that you did because he is with me now and I will never treat him the way that you did.  You broke his heart as if it didn’t matter and now you think that he’s just going to say _oh okay all is forgiven_!  You’re nothing but a daft cow!”

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Clara felt a sharp pain across her face as River slapped her.  The hit shook her a bit, but before John could stop her, she pulled her arm back and punched River so hard, she fell down.  John quickly grabbed her and held her before she could do anything else.  River just sat there on the ground completely stunned at what happened holding her nose.  John knew he needed to get control of this situation right now.

“Clara, get in the house.”  He said sharply.

“No John!  I’m not leaving you out here with her!”  She argued.

“House, now.”  He said a little sternly and Clara glared at him.  

“Please.”  He said as he softened his tone.  “I’ll be fine.”

She continued to glare at him, but walked in the direction of the front door.  John looked down at River, not feeling bad at all for her as she was the one who clearly started all of this.

“Get up River.”  He said, harshly.

“John!  She hit me!”  She cried.

“And you hit her first!  So, don’t even think you’re getting an ounce of sympathy from me.” 

River looked up at him and realized that he wasn’t going to help her, so she stood up.  Her nose wasn’t bleeding, but it was definitely on its way to being swollen and her left eye was starting to bruise.

“This has to stop River!  You ruined my life once.  I will not have you do it again!”  He said, his voice still raised.  He then pointed towards the house.  “That woman is the best thing that ever happened to me.  EVER!  There is nothing you can do to change that and I mean that, NOTHING!”  

"It’s just that we shared so much together.  I know I was an idiot for throwing it away, but I still love you, John.”  River pled.

“And you say that as if I’m supposed to care.  I don’t love you River, not any more.  If you still love me, then that’s your issue to get over, not mine.  You made your decision a long time ago when you decided to have an affair and move to LA.  Why did you even come back here?”  John asked.

“Matt left me for someone his own age and despite doing well in Hollywood, it was becoming obvious that I was soon going to be on the outside again.  I realized that I had made a mistake and wanted to come back, so I asked my agent to seek out a role on your show.  Turns out she is really good friends with one of the executives who convinced Michael to write in a new character.  He had no idea that the character was for me.”  

“So, you’re the one who started this whole thing?”  He said angrily.

“Yes, because I thought that it would make us closer again.  If you would only get rid of her, then we might have a chance.”  River again pled with him.

“You really are delusional, aren’t you.  That would have never happened, even if Clara wasn't in the picture.”  

“You don’t know that!”  She exclaimed.

“Yes I do!”  He yelled back.  “This was always the problem River!  You never listened to what I had to say.  We were never going to survive.  The sooner you realize that then the sooner we can all move on.”

“I just can’t John.”  

“Well you’re going to have to.  I highly recommend that when you go into the BBC tomorrow that you hand them your resignation because I’m done with you.”  He took his phone out of his pocket again.  “Leave right now or I will call the police and I mean it this time.”

River looked at him and could tell that he was serious.  She said nothing, but instead walked off in the direction of the main street.  John watched to make sure she was out of sight before he went into the house.  Clara was sitting in the living room holding an ice pack against her cheek.  John sat on the couch next to her and took the pack away from her as he examined her face.  It was red, but at least there was no bruising.

“I’m not sorry I punched her.”  She said angrily.

“And neither am I.”  He replied.  “I just couldn’t have the situation getting more out of hand.  But I am sorry I snapped at you.”

“I know you probably don't want to hear this, but maybe you need to think about getting a restraining order.”  Clara said as she took the ice pack from John.

“Let's see what happens tomorrow, okay?”  

“Okay.”  She said as she got up and walked towards the kitchen and John followed her.  Once she had returned the ice pack to the freezer, he wrapped his arms around her and placed a light kiss on her cheek.

“All better?”  He asked as he smiled at her.

“Ask me tomorrow.”  She said as she laid her head on his chest.  

“Deal.  You ready for bed?”  He asked as he pulled away from her and started walking out of the kitchen.

“One moment.  I just want to call the sub I had on Friday to see if she can cover me tomorrow.”

“Why?  Did River hurt you more than you're letting on?”  He asked worried.

“No, of course not.  But I'm going with you and Donna tomorrow.  And don't argue because I'm not changing my mind.”  She ordered him, before he had a chance to refuse.

“Yes boss.”  He said.  “I'll just go upstairs and call Donna to tell her about what just happened.” 

Clara called the sub who agreed to come in and then quickly called Amy to let her know what was going on.  Amy was proud that she finally got to take a punch at John's ex and had wished she had been there to see it.  She also once again reassured Clara that everything was going to be okay and soon enough they would be able to put everything behind them and move on.  Clara hoped more than anything that she was right, but couldn't help but shake the feeling that there was more to come of this little saga.  


	53. Chapter 53

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again thanks so much for the feedback! We are nearing the end of this story, so bare with a little more drama before we get to some fluffy goodness :)

The next day John and Clara met Donna inside the BBC, before heading up to meet with the executives.  Once they got to the floor, they were ushered into a boardroom, where thankfully they didn’t have to wait long.  David, Michael, two other men, and one woman entered and took a seat opposite the trio.

“John,” David began.  “I’m really sorry that we are seeing each other under these circumstances and I want to start by thanking you and Donna for coming in today.”  He then looked at Clara.  “And you must be John’s girlfriend.”

“This is Clara, and she’s my fiancé.”  John corrected him.  

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know that you had gotten engage.  Congratulations.”  He added.  “But I’m afraid that she can’t be here for this discussion.”

“She’s not going anywhere.”  John said firmly.  “River’s behaviour affects her just as much as it does me, so she stays.”

“John, I’m sorry, but...”

“No but’s David.  If she goes, I go.  Now can we please get on with this.”  John said matter-of-factly.

David had never seen John be so forceful in all the years he had been working with him.  He decided it was probably best not to argue with him and dropped the matter. 

“Fine.  Let’s get on with the issue at hand.  River is claiming that she has done nothing wrong other than attempt to speak to John on a few occasions.”

“That may have been true in the beginning.”  John said.  “But her behaviour has escalated.”

John went on to explain the situations while everyone in the room listened.  When he finished the executives took a moment to consult with the woman who was clearly one of the lawyers for the BBC.  

“We are truly sorry for this John and we are going to take all of this into consideration.  We are meeting with River and her agent this afternoon, but as of right now it's mostly your word against hers and she claims she hasn't done the things you are accusing her of.”  David answered.

“You have got to be joking!”  Clara said as she raised her voice.  John grabbed her arm to try and calm her down, but it did nothing.  “I walked in on her kissing him!”

“Yes, we understand that Ms. Oswald, but as you are romantically involved with John that doesn't make you a credible witness.”

“But what about the party photo, that was leaked.”  Donna added.  “I told you who the young man was that took it.” 

“Yes and you can't back that up with tangible evidence.”  David replied.  “Look we understand how difficult this is but we need to make sure ALL of our best interests are taken care of.”

“Well pardon me, if I feel like mine aren't being taken care of at all!”  John said angrily.

Suddenly a commotion was heard in the hallway and everyone turned to see Missy push her way into the boardroom.

“I'm sorry sir.” A young man said.  “I tried to stop her from coming in, but she insisted that she needed to speak to all of you.”

“Missy, none of this concerns you.”  David said sternly.

“Like hell it doesn't.   I love this job and this show and I will not let River Song destroy it.”  Missy said as she threw a USB stick on the table towards Michael.

“What is this?”  Michael asked as he picked it up.

“All the information that you need to know that David here has been sleeping with River's agent, which is how she slithered her way into the show.  River knows this and threatened to tell David's wife if she didn't get what she wanted.”  Missy said as she took a seat next to Clara.

“Hello dear.”  She said as she smiled at Clara.  “So lovely to finally meet you.”

Clara just stared at her, completely confused as to what was happening.  When did her life become this?  She was just a school teacher from Blackpool, not someone who attended highly dramatic meetings at the BBC.  She turned and looked at John, who looked just as shocked as her.  

“This is ridiculous.”  David said.  “I don’t know what proof you seem to think you have Missy, but none of it is true.”

“Pictures don’t lie, nor does a taped confession from the young man that River was flirting with to get information on John.”  Missy added.

“What!?”  John said in complete awe of the entire situation.  

“Alright, enough!”  David yelled, trying to take control of the situation.  “Michael give me that USB and let me take a look.”

“I don’t think so David.”  Michael said as he looked towards the other executives in the room.  “I think that David should be excused from this meeting as he is now being implicated in all of this mess as well.”

“I think you’re right.” One of the executives agreed.  “I’m sorry, but we should review all of this.  Give us some time to do that and we will call Donna once we are ready to continue this meeting, most likely tomorrow afternoon.”

The executives, Michael and the lawyer got up and walked out of the room, leaving David behind who was clearly very enraged.

“I don’t know what you think you’re playing at Missy, but it isn’t going to work.”  He said angrily.

“I’m not playing at anything David, but I think you’ll find that what they are about to look at is very incriminating, so I suggest you get your things in order because I think your days at the BBC are numbered.”

He stormed out of the room, now leaving the four sitting at the table.  Three of them incredibly confused as to what just happened.

“Missy, I don’t know what to say.”  John said.  

“Well you could start by saying thank you.”  She smiled at him.  

“Thanks.”  He said.  “But how did you get all this information?”

“I hired a PI to follow her.”  She answered, as if it was no big deal.

“To help me?”  John questioned, finding this whole thing very odd.

“No to help me, at first.  I was concerned that they were trying to replace me with her and I wanted her gone.  I decided to hire a private investigator, because I thought it was odd that she would be asked to join the show given your history.  Turned out I was right.  I had no idea that he would uncover all the dirt he did.”  She answered.  “Honestly John, what did you ever see in that woman.”

“I’m really beginning to wonder the same thing.”  He answered.  “But why did you do this?”

“After I met my new man, Mark, I began to realize that I had been coming on too strong with you, which really got us off on the wrong foot.  I genuinely really like you John and think that you are such a nice person who deserves the best.  Also, I’ve never liked River, so to see her so miserable would bring me nothing but joy.”

“Missy, can we take you out for lunch as way of saying thanks?”  Clara asked.

Missy agreed and the four left and went to a nice restaurant, not far from the office.  During lunch Missy explained everything that her PI had found and it sounded like River’s days on the show were definitely numbered, but no one was ready to celebrate just yet.  They finished lunch and went their separate ways, John feeling better at least about his working relationship with Missy.  

“Well that was an interesting turn of events.”  Clara said as they entered John's house. 

“It certainly was.” He replied as he threw his house keys on the hall table.  “I had no idea that Missy could be so kind.”

“Every now and then people surprise you.”  Clara stated.  

“That they do.”  He smiled at her.

“So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day?”  She asked changing the subject.

“You.”  He answered as he winked at her.

“That sounds fun, but no.  I have a better idea.”

“What could possibly be better than sex?”  He asked perplexed.

“Organizing to pack!”  She said happily.

“I'm afraid I've been something wrong, if you think  _that_ is more fun.”

“Come on.”  She encouraged.  “You need to be out of here in 3 months, which means you are not going to have a lot of time to get ready once you get back to Cardiff.”

“Aggh, you're right.”  He whined.  “But I don't even know where to start.”

“Well good job you have me to help.  We'll take it one room at a time going over what can go into storage and what can go to my place.”

“Fine, but this sounds so boring.”  He complained.

“Okay.  To make it more interesting for you, when we finish doing a room, you can then do me in that room.”  That got his attention and he grinned at her.  

“That's a brilliant idea.” He said, as he grabbed her hand and started leading her upstairs.  “Let's start with my bedroom.”

\--------------

The next day Clara went back to work, but only after John had promised to call her with the news as soon as he heard.  John then once again found himself sitting in the same boardroom at the BBC with Donna, waiting for the entourage of executives and lawyers to enter.  After about ten minutes, the door opened and the same people entered, minus David.

“John, let me start by apologising.  As you can see David is no longer with the BBC, as of yesterday.  We reviewed all the information that was given to us and there is no doubt that River manipulated her way onto the show.  It's also clear that she has crossed a line with you as well and that is something we take seriously.  Rest assured that effective immediately, she will no longer be a part of this cast and we are working on recasting her role, which should hopefully be filled in a couple of weeks.  At which time we are going to have to reshoot all of River's parts, but for now, shooting will resume on Thursday in Cardiff.”

“Thank you.”  John said as he gave a sigh of relief. 

“We are truly sorry and we hope that you will reconsider signing your new contract.”

“I appreciate this matter finally being taken care of, but it should have never happened in the first place.  I would like to have a few days to think about it.” John replied.

“Absolutely, we completely understand.”

The meeting ended and John looked at Donna with relief. He was thankful that he didn’t have to work with River any more, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this still wasn’t over.  River was desperate and she was the kind of woman that clearly didn’t let anything stop her from getting what she wanted.  However, now she was completely disgraced and the last time that happened John got dragged through the mud.  He was thinking back to the confrontation they had in front of his house and remembered something that she had said about Clara.

“Donna, I gotta go.”  He said suddenly and got up from the table.

“What’s the rush?”  Donna questioned as she followed him towards the elevators.

“I’m worried that River, might try something with Clara.”  He said pushing the down button repeatedly, hoping that it would make it come faster.

“John you can’t be serious.  River’s crazy, but not that crazy.”  Donna said.

“You didn’t see her the other night.  I’ve never seen her like that and not to mention, she truly believes that if Clara weren’t in the picture this whole scheme would have worked.”  

The elevator arrived and both John and Donna got in, as John tried to call Clara.  She didn’t answer, but that wasn’t unusual as she wouldn’t be done teaching for another twenty minutes.  He then decided to try and call Missy to see if maybe she had River’s number.  By the time they reached the ground floor, John had her number and started dialing it, to his surprise River answered.

“Hello.”  She said and John could immediately hear the sadness in her voice.

“River, it’s John.”

“What do you want?”  She said with a sigh.

“I want to talk to you.  Where are you?”  He asked.  Donna gave him a warning look wondering what he was doing wanting to see her.

“I’m beyond talking John.  Everything has been taken from me.  I’ve got nothing left!”  River said, and John could hear the desperation in her voice.

“The things that have happened to you, you did to yourself, River.  No one is to blame, but yourself.”

“And I wouldn’t have had to go to such drastic measures John, if your tart of a girlfriend wasn’t in the picture.”  She replied.

“Clara had nothing to do with this.”  He said as they exited the building and Donna hailed a cab, giving the driver the address for Clara’s school.  He looked at his watch and saw that it was still another fifteen minutes before school ended and they were about thirty minutes away.  The best he could do was to keep River talking.  “You made the choice to blackmail and snog your way back into my life, not Clara.  River, please tell me where you are so we can talk.”

“It doesn’t matter where I am because you’re never going to make it here in time.”

“In time for what?”  John asked more frantic as he heard what he thought might have been a bell and voices in the background.

“You can’t stop me John.  Just know that everything I have done is because I love you.”

The line went dead and John had never felt so completely helpless in his entire life.


	54. Chapter 54

John could have sworn that this was the slowest cab driver in all of London.  Time felt as if it weren’t moving at all as he kept frantically checking his watch.  Donna was trying to reassure him, that he didn’t know for certain that River was at the school, but he wouldn’t hear it.  He knew what he heard and there was no doubt in his mind that the background noise was Clara’s school.  Finally, after about twenty minutes they arrived and John rushed out, leaving Donna to settle up with the driver.  He ran into the school and straight to Clara’s classroom, where he found the lights off and the room empty.  It looked like her stuff was gone, so he had no idea where she could be.  He took out his phone to try and call her again, but it went straight to voice mail, so he sent her a quick text, telling her to call him as soon as possible.  He then rushed down the hall in search of the staffroom, hoping she was in there or at least Amy.  When he finally found it, he found Amy instead of his fiancée.

“Amy!”  He called her name to get her attention.  She turned around, along with two other teachers John didn’t recognize.  They just stared at him completely awe struck, but he didn’t have time for fans right now.  “Have you seen Clara?”

“No.”  Amy said as she got up and walked towards John.  “I assumed that she rushed out of here to see you.”

“Damn it!”  He exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?”  Amy questioned.  “I’m sure she’s fine.”

“I’m not.  I’m afraid River might do something drastic.”  John replied.  “I’ve gotta go and find her Amy.  If you hear from her tell her to call me.”

John rushed out, not even giving Amy a chance to respond.  He ran back out to the front of the school and saw that Donna was on the phone.  

“Okay, let me know if you find her.”  She said as she hung up and looked at John.  “River’s agent hasn’t heard from her since yesterday after she got fired.” 

“God Donna, what if she’s gone and done something really stupid this time.”  John said as they walked towards the street to hail another cab.

John gave the driver his address, hoping that that was where he would find her safe and sound, but the longer time went by and he still hadn’t heard from her, the more worried he got.  He kept trying to call her, but it just kept going through to voice mail.  When the cab finally arrived at his house, he got out and sent Donna to check her flat, just in case she went back home after work.  He ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time and quickly unlocked the door.  

“Clara?”  He yelled as he walked in.

“In the kitchen.”  She replied back.  A wave of relief washed over him as he ran into the room to see that she was okay.  He immediately flung his arms around her, thankful that she was safe and sound.

“Whoa!”  She said surprised by the greeting.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.”  He answered as he pulled away from her to look at her, but still not letting her go.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”  She asked.

“I was worried that River, might try and hurt you.”

“That’s crazy!  You don't really think that do you?”  Clara said surprised.

“I don’t know.  The way she was the other night, I had never seen her like that.  Then she made some comments about, if only you weren’t in the picture, it all would have worked out. And I wouldn’t be able to make it to her in time.  She really sounded like she didn’t know what else to do.”

“Do you think she might try and hurt herself?” Clara asked.

“As much as she’s been a pain in the arse, I hope not.”  He got up and walked towards the stairs. “I’m going to go see if I can find her aunt’s number to call her.  She’s the only person I can think of that River might go to.”

John walked into his office and started rummaging through his desk drawers until he came across a small blue address book.  He opened it and was relieved to see that he still had Gertrude’s number.  He immediately called her and after a few rings, she picked up.

“Hello.”  River's aunt said.

“Hi Gertrude, it's John.”

“John!?  What a surprise!  First River drops by and then you call.”

“You've seen River?”  John asked.

“Yes, a few hours ago.  She stopped in to say goodbye.”

“Goodbye?  What do you mean?”

“She was on her way to the airport, but she wouldn't tell me where she was going.  Just that once she got settled she would call. John do you know what's going on?  She said she got fired from your show.”

John told Gertrude what had happened, leaving out some details he didn't think she needed to know, such as seducing a PA.  By the end of the story River's aunt had a much better idea of why her niece had left.  John asked her to call him if she heard from River, just so he had a peace of mind.  He ended his call and the  sent Donna a quick text, before going back downstairs to Clara.

“Did you find her?”  She asked as he entered the living room.

“She left.  Her aunt doesn't know where, just that she was going to the airport.”

“The airport?  Would she really just leave the country?”  Clara questioned.

“I think she would.  The BBC isn’t going to be able to sweep this under the carpet, especially since they made such a big deal about her joining the show.  Now they’re going to have to explain what has happened and knowing River, she isn’t going to want to deal with the negative press.”

“So, that’s it?  Just like that she’s gone.”  Clara said surprised.

“It would seem so.”

“Well pardon me, if I don’t fully believe it.  She was so out of control that I honestly thought she was never going to stop.”

“I know, but I really think that losing her job like this was an eye opener for her at just how crazy she let things get.  I know it’s hard to believe Clara because you only know this crazy woman, but she was never like that.  If she had been I would have never married her.”

“You’re right, it is hard to believe.  I think it’s going to take a few days to sink in that she’s really gone.”  Clara answered.  

“I understand that.  I’m just happy that I can go back to work and know that I don’t have to see her again.  It’ll be nice to enjoy my work the way I used to before her.”  John said.

“So, does this mean you resigned your contract?”  She asked.

“Not yet, but I think I likely will.  I’m making them worry for a bit before I give them an answer.”  He replied as he smiled at her and got up from the couch.  “Come on, let’s go make some dinner.”

Clara followed him into the kitchen where they prepared a nice supper and spent the rest of the night relaxing with some music.  It had been awhile since they had felt this kind of peace and they wanted to enjoy it before John went back to Cardiff again.

\----------

The next night John was in his office packing up his desk drawers when he noticed he had received an email on his computer.  He opened his account and immediately saw that it was from River with the subject line, _Hello_ _Sweetie_.  He clicked on it, nervous as to what it was going to say.

_Dear John,_

_Let me start by saying that I am sorry for everything I did_ _, including my affair and all the pain I caused after._ _I never meant for things to get so out of control, but I guess seeing you happy with someone else sent me over the edge._

_When everything started falling apart in America, I thought that I could_ _come back and make amends with you now that I knew what_ _it_ _felt_ _like to be cheated on._ _I could now relate to the pain I caused you and I thought that_ _sharing that_ _understanding could help us heal together and rekindle our love.  What I didn't take into consideration was that you had moved on._ _I guess if I really_ _examine our life together that was the real issue of our marriage.  I was selfish and never considered your feelings.  I_ _took the opportunity of having a family away from you_ _and I broke your heart.  You_ _said_ _a lot of things_ _the last time I saw you that started to sink in, especially after I lost my job._

_I'm starting to see that I need to do some soul searching and get my life back on track.  Look at what I want_ _and getting that without hurting others._ _I'm truly sorry for the anguish I've caused both you and Clara._ _She is exactly the kind of woman you need in your life John and although I'm not happy that you've found love again, I'm going to work on finding that peace._

_I just wanted to write_ _to_ _you and let you know that I won't be causing you any more issues_ _and I'm going to work on getting the closure I never got before.  I'm going to travel for a bit and then_ _go back_ _to LA_ _and try and make a go of it again._ _Perhaps putting an ocean between us might be a good idea._

_I wish you the best of luck with your future and know that despite how things ended with us, I did love you and will always hold a spot for you in my heart.  I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me, but I understand if you never do._

_Love always,_

_River_

John just stared at the screen shocked.  He was still processing everything in the message, when Clara walked in.

“Do you really want to keep this holey jumper?”  She asked as she had been going through his clothes deciding what to keep and what to donate.  John didn't even notice that she had walked in or heard what she had said.

“Hey,”  She said as she came up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder to get his attention.  “Did you hear me?”

“Ah no, sorry.”  He said as he turned to look at her and then got up out of the chair.  “Read that.”

Clara sat down and started reading what John had been looking at.  After a few minutes she turned and looked at him.

“Wow.  Do you believe this?”  She asked shocked that this might finally be over once and for all.

“I do.  That sounds more like the River I once knew and I think that she has finally seen the error of her ways.”  He said.

“So how do you feel?”  She asked him.

“Relief, I think.”  He said as he took Clara’s hand and pulled her out of the chair and placed his hands on her hips.  “But mostly happy because she’s gone and we can start planning our wedding.”  

“Yes, we can.”  She answered as she smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with.


	55. Chapter 55

John had returned to Cardiff to resume shooting, which meant that some of the plans they had made were now messed up and needed to be changed.  One of those was going to Glasgow to see John's family.  When he called to tell his sister that they weren't likely going to make it up before their wedding, she wouldn’t stand for it and insisted on bringing the kids down one weekend when he would be in London to help with packing his house.  He really didn't want to put them out like that, but she wouldn't take no for an answer and John knew to never argue with her.

He managed to get a few days off about a month after going back and was currently back in London, lying in bed with Clara after enjoying a post shag cuddle.  His sister would be arriving tomorrow and the likelihood of them getting more alone time was going to be slim.

“So, do you think your sister will like me?”  Clara asked as she was snuggled into John's side.

“We just had sex and your first thought is my sister.  Should I be worried?”  He teased.

“No silly.”  She replied as she lightly slapped his arm.  “I just want her to like me.  I've never had a sister.”

“She's going to love you.  I'm certain of that.”  He said as he placed a light kiss on her forehead.

“Tell me about her.”

“Well Hannah was always referred to as a happy accident by my parents.  They had tried many times after me to have another child but it just wasn't happening.  Then one day after they had stopped and least expected it, there she was.  I was 13 when she was born, so we weren't very close growing up, but we got closer after we lost our parents. “

“And how old are the kids again?”

“Max is 8 and Heather is 5.  They’re really great kids and I wish I got to see more of them, but it’s hard with my schedule, as you know.”  He said.  “I’m really looking forward to seeing them tomorrow.”

“Well I’m really looking forward to finally meeting them.”  Clara said.

“Good because it’s going to be crazy around here and we’re going to have zero privacy.”

“Fun family crazy will be nice for a change.”  She said.

“That it will.”  He answered.  “That it will.”

\-----------

The next day, John and Clara were packing up some stuff in the kitchen, when there was a knock at the door.  John smiled and left to answer it, throwing the door open to very happy children and a tired looking sister.  

“Uncle John!”  Heather and Max both said when they saw their uncle.

“My favourite niece and nephew!”  He replied as he bent down to hug the kids.  “Come in!”

He took one of the bags his sister was holding and held the door open wider for her to enter.  They set the bags down and gave each other a hug.

“Where is my future sister-in-law?”  Hannah asked happily.

“Hello to you too.”  John replied feigning hurt.  Just then Clara walked out from the kitchen.

“Hi everyone.”  Clara said nervously.  John smiled when he saw her.

“Ohh, it’s so good to finally meet you!”  Hannah said as she walked over and gave her a big hug.

“You too!”  Clara said, instantly feeling at ease.  “I’m sorry we didn’t come sooner.”

“Oh, that’s okay.  I’m very familiar with his busy schedule.”  She said as she pointed at John.

“And who do we have here?”  Clara asked as she looked at the kids who were being shy.

“This is Max and Heather.”  John said as he picked up his niece and ruffled his nephew’s hair.  

“Why hello there, Max.”  She said as she kneeled down to his level.  “My name is Clara and it’s very nice to meet you.”

“Hi.”  He smiled at her, but then turned to John and hugged his leg.  Clara smiled at his shyness.

“And hello to you Heather.”  Clara said as she stood up and smiled at the little girl John was holding.

“Hi.  You have pretty hair.”  She said, clearly not as shy as her brother.

“Why thank you.  You have pretty hair as well.  It's curly just like your uncle's.”  She replied and smiled at John.

“Yes, but his is grey.”  She replied and pointed at his hair.

“Hey!”  John said and Heather giggled.

“Well I happen to like his hair that colour.”  Clara added and winked at him.

“And thank goodness for that.”  His sister said.

“Alright you women.  Enough with teasing the old man.  Who wants to help me with the bags?” He replied changing the subject.

John and Clara got everyone settled into the guest room.  Later that day Hannah and Clara settled into packing up the living room, while John decided to spend some quality time with the kids, working on his office.  This gave the women a chance to get to know each other without him being around.  So far things were going great between them and they were very quickly becoming fast friends.  John came downstairs at one point to get the kids a drink and saw that they were both laughing so hard they didn't even notice him.  Lord knew he didn't want to know what they found so funny because it was probably something he had done.  But it didn't matter, it just warmed his heart to see Clara getting on so well with his family.

After a couple of hours, Max came down looking for something to eat.  Hannah looked at the time and the women decided to stop for lunch, so Clara said she’d go up and get Heather and John.   When she got to his office door she stopped in the door frame, unnoticed, and couldn’t help but smile at the image before her.  John had taken an empty box and turned it upside down to use as a makeshift table and he and Heather were sitting cross legged on the floor around it.  There were some cups sitting in front of them and Heather was pretending to pour liquid into each one, while John was going right along with their tea party.  Clara suddenly got a flash of him doing that with a little girl of their own and realised that there was no doubt in her mind, she wanted to have a family with him.  John glanced over and saw her standing there and smiled at her, motioning for her to join them.

“Hey.”  She said as she entered.  “I came to tell you two that lunch is ready.”  

“Oh goody!”  Heather exclaimed as she jumped up.  “Let’s go Uncle John!”

The little girl ran out of the room leaving Clara and John behind.

“Tea?”  He asked as he motioned toward the “table”.  Clara laughed and walked over to help him up off the ground.

“I’ll pass for now.  I thought you were packing?”  She asked.

“We were and then Heather insisted we have tea.  I can’t say no to her, she’s just so darn cute.”  He replied.

“And a little girl of your own would have you wrapped around her little finger, no doubt.”  

John just smiled at her and gave a small nod.  They hadn’t discussed having kids again since Clara’s pregnancy scare and he really didn’t want to bring the subject up now, but this comment, along with another she had made to River, told him that she might be more open to the idea now. 

The rest of the weekend went by quickly.  Clara was able to spend some quality time with the kids, when John and Hannah went out to find more boxes for packing.  They had returned to the house to see Clara sitting on the couch with a child snuggled on either side of her, while she was reading them a story.  Hannah gave John a look that told him, she was thinking the same thing as him, one day Clara would make an excellent mother.  

By the end of the weekend, Clara felt more a part of John's family, especially with Max and Heather calling her Aunt Clara.  They saw the little family off at the train station and went back to Clara's flat as most of the stuff at John's was now packed.  On their way there their real estate agent called to say he found a couple of places that he thought might be perfect for them.  As luck would have it John had a couple of more days off so they made an appointment for the next day to go and take a look.

\-----------

John decided to meet Clara at the school the next day before going to look at the first house.  While he was walking down the hall he spotted Danny standing in the hall talking to another teacher.  He had hoped that Danny wouldn't notice him, but John had no such luck.  As he got closer, Danny glanced his way and then turned back to the other man, saying something before the other teacher walked away.

“John.”  Danny said, once John was near.

“Danny.”  John replied in the same neutral tone.

“Do you have a minute?”  The younger man asked.

“Not really, I'm meeting Clara.”  John answered.

“This will only take a second.”  Danny replied as he motioned to the empty classroom.  John agreed and followed him in.

“Look, I don't like you.”   Danny said. 

“Great, you brought me in here to tell me the obvious.”  John said as he cut him off.

“Let me finish.”  Danny replied and John nodded at him to go on.  “I'm sorry for the things I did and the way I behaved.  I was angry and jealous and couldn't see how I was hurting Clara.”

John was surprised that Danny was staying true to his word to Clara and actually apologising.  

“Thank you.”  John replied.  “I know it will mean a lot to her that you've done this.”

“I hope so.”  Danny sighed.  “She's helped me realise that we would have never been a good match together.  But if you ever hurt her, I will hurt you and that's a promise.”

“I don't doubt that for one minute.  But I won't so no worry of that.”  John said and extended his hand.  “Truce?”

“Truce.”  Danny said as he shook it.

John left Danny and went to find Clara.  She was sitting at her desk lesson planning, when he walked in.  She looked up and smiled at him, the smile that made him feel like all was right in the world.

“Hey beautiful.  You ready to go find our dream home.”  

“I am, but I highly doubt that we're going to find it on the first go.”  She said as she got up and gathered her stuff.

“Oh I don't know, I'm feeling optimistic.  After all, PE just apologised to me.”

“He did?”  Clara asked unsure and surprised.

“He did.”  John replied as he took Clara's hand and the two walked out of her room.

“Well that's good.  I think we can finally put that behind us.”  Clara responded.

“I think so.  Now, let's go get us a house.”  

The first house they looked at was nice, but both of them agreed that they didn't feel like it was the one.  It had almost everything they wanted, but there was just something in Clara's gut that told her this wasn't it.  The agent took them to the next house, which was in the same neighbourhood that Clara currently lived in.  The house was on a street that she had never been down and was surprised to see the homes that seemed to be sheltered and isolated by a lot of shrubbery.  They walked up to a house that appeared small and quaint on the outside, but was actually much bigger when you walked inside.  As soon as Clara walked in she felt at home, but didn't get excited about  the place just yet.  She glanced at John and it looked like he might be feeling the same judging from the smile on his face.  

They walked through each room and in each place Clara got a vision of her and John.  There was her and John making breakfast in the kitchen.  Her and John cuddling on the couch in the living room.  Her and John having a dinner party with their friends in the dining room.  They moved upstairs and the same visions hit her when she walked into the master bedroom.  She walked across the hall to a smaller bedroom and found John standing in the middle of it, clearly thinking about something.

“What do you think?”  She asked as she entered, bringing him out of his thoughts.  

“I really like it.  You?”  

“I love it.  I feel good here.”  She answered, as the agent walked in.

“I have one more thing to show you.”  He said as he walked out of the room and the couple followed him down the stairs.

“It's hard to come by in London, especially in this neighbourhood, but you need to see this backyard.”

John and Clara stepped outside and immediately smiled at each other.  It was a nice sized space with what they both assumed would be beautiful gardens in the spring and summer.  It looked like it could be their own little oasis during warmer months, something that many Londoners only had by going to parks.

“So what do you guys think?”  The agent asked.

Clara smiled at John and nodded.

“I think we love it.”  John answered.

“Fantastic!  I'll put an offer in and we should have an answer by tomorrow or the day after.”

The group left the house and Clara looked back at it, hopeful that this was going to be their new home.  She could really see it.  All of it.  She could see them standing at the front door bringing a baby home for the first time.  Playing with kids in the yard, and reading bedtime stories.  It was strange how these thoughts that once scared her were now making her happy.  She glanced at John who was chatting with the agent and thought how lucky she was to have this wonderful man in her life and how much she couldn't wait for their future to happen.


	56. Chapter 56

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for your encouraging words and patience with how slowly these final chapters are coming out of me. One more to go after this one!

“What do you think of this dress?”  Clara said to Amy as she was flipping through a bridal magazine.

“It's cute, but it's really hard to picture myself in a dress right now.  I'm the size of a bloody house.”  Amy lamented.

“You are not.”  Clara said trying to reassure her friend.  “You have a cute baby bump.”

“Thanks, but it looks like I swallowed a basketball.”  Amy said as she ran a hand over it.  “Can't I just get a nice black dress after the baby is born and wear that?”

“That sounds like a good idea.”  Clara agreed and looked down at her list of things she still needed to do for the wedding.

She had two lists that she was working from, one for the wedding and one for packing and moving.  They had found out 2 days after they put an offer on the house that they got it and, in a few weeks, they would be moving into their new home.  It was hard to believe that it was only a short time now since it felt like forever since they had signed the papers.  It seemed like everything was beginning to happen so quickly now, and all at once.  John would be back in a couple of weeks as they were about to wrap another season.  It would be nice to finally have him home since it had been over a month since she had seen him.  It would also be nice to have him back to help with all of the last-minute details.

Amy had helped Clara with a lot of wedding stuff.  She helped her pick a dress, find a venue, send out invites, and all the other little details Clara would have forgotten about.  Now there wasn't too much left to do, which was good because Amy was a few weeks from giving birth.  Clara had managed to help her with a lot of baby preparations too and now all that was left for Amy to do was have the baby.

“So, what's left on those lists of yours?”  Amy asked.

“Not much.  Just need to get the groom home to do the rest.”  Clara answered.

“And how long before that happens?”

“13 days, but it's not like I'm counting or anything.”  Clara smiled at Amy.

Amy returned her smile and then suddenly winced.  “Oi, this little one is really active today.  I’ll be very happy when this baby is no longer living inside me.” 

“I think everyone will be happy about that.”  Clara said as she made some more notes on her lists.  Amy had been quite cranky the last few weeks, mostly due to her discomfort, and everyone had been walking on egg shells around her.

“You’re still going to be there when the baby comes, right?”  Amy asked.  She had made Clara agree a couple of months earlier that she would be with her and Rory in the room, mostly because Amy was sure Rory wouldn’t be able to handle it on his own.  Amy could be pretty angry on a normal day, but when she was pushing an eight-pound baby out of her, lord only knew the wrath Rory would receive.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”  Clara assured her.

“Even if it’s in the middle of hot reunited sex.”

“Amy!”  Clara exclaimed. 

“What?!  I’m just stating the obvious.  You guys are going to be going at it like teenagers when he gets back.”

“Nothing will keep me from welcoming this little baby into this crazy world.”  Clara answered as she shook her head, ignoring her friend’s ridiculous comment.

“Good.  Now let's work on packing, well you pack and I'll order you around.”  The two girls laughed and Clara went and grabbed some boxes.

\-----------

John was so happy to finally be home.  It had been a crazy shoot schedule thanks to River's recasting, but it was worth it.  He really felt that he was able to give a better performance with the new actor and life on the set was much better.  His relationship with Missy had evolved into one of friendship and he had even invited her to the wedding.  He was actually looking forward to returning to shoot his final season, but not until he married the woman who had stolen his heart.  

He looked around the flat and saw that Clara had been very busy packing.  She had obviously, and not surprisingly, had everything ready for the move tomorrow.  He had dreaded telling her that his schedule had been pushed by a week, which meant that he wouldn't make it home until the day before, but she was fine and said he'd likely just get in her way of making sure everything was organized.  He left his bags at the door and walked into the kitchen to see if there was any food in the fridge.  He opened it to see that it was completely empty, along with all the cupboards.  He then glanced at his watch to see that Clara would be home from work soon, so he decided to send her a text and go down the street to pick up take away fish and chips.

On his way back, he spotted Clara across the street coming from a different direction from her normal route home.  He shouted at her to get her attention and when he did he gave a big wave to her.  She looked before crossing the street and ran over to meet him, instantly wrapping her arms around him and hugging him hard.

“Hey you!”  He said as he returned her hug.

“I’m so happy to see you.”  She replied happily.

“You too!  Where are you coming from?”  He asked as he pulled away from her, but took her hand in his and they walked towards her flat.

“Oh, I thought I would walk to the new house from work to see how long it would take.  Not much different from my commute now, so that’s good.”

"Fantastic.  How’s everything looking?”

“Good.  Just anxious to get settled in the house and start our life together.”  She answered.

“Me too, sweetheart, me too.”

Later that night after they ate, their real estate agent came over with the final papers and the keys to their new house.  It was exciting for both of them, but more so for Clara as she had never owned anything in her life and she could hardly contain her excitement.

“Congratulations!”  Their agent said as he handed them the keys.  

“Thanks so much!”  Clara said enthusiastically.  

“Yes, thank you.”  John added.  “You've made my future wife and I very happy.”  

“Well I'm glad I could.”  He said as he got up and shook both their hands.  “I don't doubt that you will have many happy memories in your new home.”

They saw the man out and then turned to each other grinning like kids on Christmas morning.  John scooped Clara up in his arms and spun her around before setting her back on the ground.

“We're home owners!”  Clara exclaimed.  

“That we are!”  John said.  

“Oh my god John!  This is crazy!”  Clara said as the reality of what just happened started to sink in.  “I just bought a house with you!  We own a house together!”

“Are you having a fangirl moment sweetheart?”  John asked as he quirked an eyebrow at her, smiling.

“Of course, I am.”  She said laughing.  “Sorry, but I've been having these moments lately where I suddenly realise what is all happening and then I think back to a year ago when I didn't even know you.”  

“It has been quite the year, hasn't it?” 

“That's for sure.”  She answered as she walked back into the living room to gather the papers.  “My life has changed so much since you came into it.”

“For the better I hope.”  John said as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

“Yes, for the better.”  She answered as she turned around and kissed him softly.

“Soooo.”  He said as he pulled away.  “Bed?”

“Yes, but for sleep.”  She said almost sternly.

“Ahh come on!”  He whined.  “I haven’t been with you in over a month!”

“So, you can wait one more night than.”  She replied as she walked away and started walking towards the bedroom.  “We have a big day ahead of us and I need all the rest I can get.”

“Fine.”  He grumbled, following behind her.  “I can wait one more day.”

\-----------

Everything was going smoothly the next day.  The movers showed up on time and quickly got to work loading their truck for the short trip to the new house.  Once Clara’s flat was empty she stood in the middle of the bare living room and suddenly felt very nostalgic for her little home.  It was the first place she had that she didn’t share with someone else and it was full of so many great memories.  She had been so busy the last few months that she really didn’t have time to really think about what the move meant.  It was more than just getting a new place to live, she was starting a new chapter in her life.  It was no longer just the story of her, but the story of her and John.  She suddenly felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her middle and a soft kiss behind her ear.

“Are you thinking about how much you’re going to miss this place?”  John asked. 

“Yeah, but also the future.  And how ready I am to spend it with you.”  She answered.

“Ditto.”  He said.  “You ready to go our new home?”

“You better believe it.” 

They walked towards the door, and Clara took one last look before she locked it for the last time, then turned and took John’s hand as they went down to instruct the movers on where to go.  It was not far and they were there in no time at all.  They walked up to the door and John let Clara have the honour of opening the door for the first time, but before she had a chance to walk in he scooped her up in his arms and carried her in the house.

“Ahhhh, John!”  Clara screamed in surprise.  “What are you doing?”

“Isn’t it obvious.  I’m carrying you over the threshold.”  He answered as he leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss.

“Always the romantic.”  She said as he put her down.

“I try.”  He said as he wrapped his arms around her.  He was just about to kiss her again when Clara's phone rang.  She pulled it out of her pocket and saw that it was Rory.

“Oh oh.  I think Amy might be having a baby.”  She told John, just before she answered.  “Hey Rory.”

“Clara, Amy's water just broke!”  Rory said excitedly.

“Oh my god!  How is she?

“She's okay.”  Rory answered.  All of a sudden Clara heard Amy yell in the background.

“Are you sure?”  Clara asked again.

“Yeah, she’s just having contractions.  We’re on our way now to the hospital.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you guys as soon as I can.”  Clara assured him.

“No rush, the contractions are still far enough apart and I know that you and John are moving today.”

“Her arse better be in the hospital by the time this baby comes!”  Clara heard Amy yell in the background.

“Tell her I’ll be there.  Good luck Rory and I’ll see you soon.”  Clara ended her call and put her phone back in her pocket.

“I take it Amy and Rory are about to become parents.”  John said.

“Seems so.  Let’s get this truck unloaded and then I’ve gotta go.”  Clara said.

“Nope.  You’re going now.”  

“John, I need to make sure the boxes end up in the correct rooms.”  

“I can do that.  You’ve labeled them all really well, so you don’t need to be here.”  John insisted as he walked with her outside.

“John,” Clara said, but he cut her off before she could finish.

“Go.  I’ve got this.  Amy and Rory need you more than I do right now.  Just keep me posted as to what is happening, okay?”

“Alright.  I know when there’s no point in arguing with you.  I’ll call you later.”  She said as she gave him a quick peck on the lips and ran off towards the tube.

\---------------

“I swear to god Rory, you’re never touching me again!  Whose bright idea was this for me to have a child!”  Amy yelled as she squeezed Clara’s hand and glared at Rory.

“You’re doing great!”  Rory said trying to encourage her.  “If I could do this for you, I would.”

“Shut it!”  Amy shouted as another contraction hit.

“Rory, why don’t you go see about getting some more ice chips for Amy.”  Clara suggested thinking it would be best for him to leave the room for a bit.

Rory nodded and walked out.  They had been at the hospital for nearly 10 hours and Amy‘s contractions were getting closer and closer, which meant the baby should be coming soon.  However, the more pain she felt the angrier she got with her husband.  Clara felt for him because she knew that Rory was sincere in saying he wished he could be the one to go through the pain.

“Seriously Clara, don’t ever do this.”  Amy said as she was calming down after her latest contraction.  

“Oh, come now, Amy.  You’re going to forget all about the pain once this little one comes out.”  Clara said.

“I hope so, otherwise this kid is going to be an only child.”

Rory walked back into the room with one of the nurses.  She wanted to examine Amy, so Clara took the opportunity to step out and give John a call.  She had last spoken to him a few hours ago and told him she still had no idea when this baby was going to arrive.

“Hey.”  He said as he answered the phone. ""Any progress?”  

“Yeah, should be soon.  How is everything there?”  She asked.

“Good.  The movers just left a couple of hours ago after getting my furniture from storage and I was just about to step out and get some groceries, so we at least have some food in the house.”

“My hero.”  Clara said smiling into the phone.

“Clara.”  Rory called for her from Amy’s doorway.  “She’s almost ready to deliver.”

Clara turned towards Rory and motioned that she would be there in one moment.  “Well looks like it’s time to welcome a new Pond into the world.”

“Give them my best.”  John said and Clara promised she would before hanging up and walking back into the room.

\----------                                                                                                      

Almost an hour later, Amy and Rory welcomed a healthy baby girl into the world, Melody Pond.  Clara stepped aside and marveled at the new family, as Amy was holding her daughter and Rory was perched next to them on the bed with his arm wrapped around his women.  Clara couldn’t help but smile at the site and got a sudden flash of her and John doing the same thing.  Just another affirmation that she wanted more than anything to have a family with him.  She stepped out of the room to call her fiancé and tell him the good news, but didn’t have to as she spotted him sitting in some nearby chairs.  

“I was just about to call you.”  She said as she approached him.  “How long have you been here?”

“Not long.  So?”  He asked waiting to hear about the baby.

“It’s a girl!”  Clara exclaimed.  “They’re just about to clean the baby up and check her over, but she certainly has a set of lungs on her.  Came into this world screaming.”  

“Sounds like she takes after her mum already.”  John said as he smiled at Clara, who laughed and agreed.

“You must be tired.”  He added.  

“Nah, I wasn’t the one pushing a 7-pound baby out of me.  But I am hungry.  Care to come with me to find some food?”  

“Lead the way.”  He said as the two walked off down the hall to get Clara some dinner.

They returned to the room an hour later.  Clara slowly opened the door and saw that Amy was napping while Rory was sitting in a chair next the bed holding his daughter.  She and John walked in trying not to wake the new mum, but no such luck.

“Hey mum.”  Clara said as she walked over towards Amy and John walked over towards Rory to take a look at the sleeping bundle.

“Congrats you two!”  John said.  “She looks adorable.”

“Thanks.”  Rory answered.  “Do you want to hold her?”

It had been a long time since John had held a new born baby.  In fact, the last time was probably when his niece was born.  He wasn’t sure if he wanted to, but there was something inside him that was pushing him towards saying yes.

“Sure.”  He answered as he held out his arms and Rory gently placed Melody in them.  He smiled down at the baby and was amazed at how light and fragile she felt.  He looked up still smiling and glanced over at Clara who was smiling at him.  The looks the two exchanged did not go unnoticed by Amy, but she decided not to say anything.  Clara felt a wave of emotion come across her when she saw John holding the baby.  There wasn’t any doubt in her mind that she had made the right decision to stop taking the pill a couple of months ago because now she wanted more than anything to have a family with John.

“You look good with a baby.”  Rory said as he smirked at Amy.  “Any time you two want to take a test run with ours let us know.”

“She’s like an hour old and you’re already trying to pawn her off on other people.”  Amy said.

“We would be happy to babysit for you guys whenever you need a break.”  Clara said as she walked over towards John and her new niece.  John turned and handed her the baby, giving her a chance to hold the little girl.  He immediately envisioned her holding their child and hoped that Clara had changed her mind about the idea of having a family.  It certainly seemed that she had.

The couple stayed for twenty more minutes and then left, leaving the Ponds to bond as a new family.  Both were pretty silent on the way home, deep in thought.  When they walked into the house, Clara was amazed to see the progress that John had made.  There were still a ton of boxes around, but at least the furniture was in place.  They climbed the stairs to their bedroom, where once again Clara was surprised to see that John had made the bed and set up the en suite bathroom.  

“Wow, thanks for doing all this.”  She said as she hugged him.

“No need to thank me.  I mean it’s the least I could do given you did all the packing and were helping bring a baby into the world.”  He said as he placed a light kiss on the tip of her nose.

“The only thing I did was let Amy squeeze my hand and make sure she wasn’t too nasty to Rory.”  She replied.

“You were being a good friend, so that’s help enough.”  He replied as he pulled away and started striping down to his boxers to get into bed.  

“So, did the whole thing turn you off the idea of having a family of our own?”  He asked, casually throwing the topic out there and see how she reacted.

“The opposite I think.”  She answered as she stripped naked, not bothering to look for her pajamas.

“Really?”  John said surprised.

“Really.” she said as she pulled back the covers and climbed in next to him.  “Seeing you holding Melody did something to my ovaries.”

“Well seeing you naked just did something to me.”  He said as he smiled and leaned over top of her.

“Hmmm, I can feel.”  She said smiling back.

“Care to feel more?”  He asked as he started placing kisses on her neck causing her to sigh.

There was no more talking for the rest of the night, except for the occasional ‘I love you’ and moans of pleasure.  The couple made love that night, for the first time in their new home, creating their first shared memory in the house that would hold so many more. 


	57. Chapter 57

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chatper everyone!

Clara was lying in bed, enjoying a peaceful sleep when suddenly the sound of a crying baby jolted her out of bed.  She looked around and remembered that she was at Amy and Rory’s and today was her wedding day.  A huge smile came over her face as she got up, anxious to start her day and finally marry the man of her dreams.  She put on her robe and walked down the hall to see Amy sitting in a rocking chair feeding Melody, in the baby’s room.   

“Happy wedding day!”  Amy exclaimed when she spotted her in the doorway. 

“Thanks!”  She answered.  

“Rory should have breakfast ready downstairs if you want to go start.  I’m just going to finish here and then we’ll be down.”  Amy told her. 

“Sounds good.”  Clara said as she left and went downstairs to see Rory in the kitchen.  

“Good morning.  You hungry?”  Rory asked as Clara walked into the kitchen.   

Clara got a smell of the cooked bacon and suddenly felt a wave of nausea hit her.  She had been hungry, but all of a sudden, she felt like she was going to be sick.  She ran to the closest bathroom and emptied the contents of her stomach.  Once she felt like there was nothing more to come out, she splashed some water on her face and went back out to the kitchen. 

“I’m so sorry Rory.  I don’t know what overcame me.”  She said as she took a seat at the kitchen island. 

“It’s okay.  Maybe you’re just nervous about today.”  He said as he handed her a glass of water. 

“Why would she be nervous?”  Amy said as she walked into the room and passed the baby off to Rory.  

“Well why else would she be sick.”  Rory said.   

“If you weren’t on the pill, I’d say you might be pregnant.”  Amy said as she started dishing some eggs onto a plate.  She turned and looked at her friend, who had a look of shock on her face.  “You’re still on the pill, aren’t you? 

“I went off it.”  Clara stated.  Amy looked at her in awe. 

“When was your last period?”  Amy asked, getting excited.  Clara started doing the math in her head and realised that she was late and obviously hadn’t noticed in the craziness that her life had been. 

“I think I should have started 2 weeks ago.” 

“Clara!  You might actually be pregnant!  Come on.”  Amy said as she grabbed her friend’s arm and dragged her back upstairs. 

“Amy!  Where are we going?”  She asked surprised. 

“To take a test.  I have some left from when we were trying before Melody.” 

They walked into the bathroom and Amy quickly found a pregnancy test.  She handed it to Clara and told her that she would wait downstairs.  Clara stared at the stick and couldn’t believe this was happening again.  Although this time was much different from the last, as she was now hoping it would be positive.  She briefly thought about calling John, but then thought she would wait until she knew for sure.  There wasn’t any point in worrying him if she didn’t have to, especially today. 

\---------- 

John woke up to an empty bed and house.  He had wanted Clara to stay with him last night, but after the rehearsal dinner, Amy had insisted she go back to their house because it was bad luck for the bride to see the groom on their wedding day.  His wedding day.  A day he never thought he would have again.  Just a year ago that he thought he was destined to spend the rest of his life alone, but here he was about to marry his impossible girl.  He got out of bed, excited to start his day and get to the point where Clara would finally be his wife.  He glanced at the clock and noticed that he had about thirty minutes to get dressed before Donna and Lee would pick him up to take him to the venue. 

Once he was ready, he had about two minutes to spare before Donna was knocking on his door.  He threw it open and greeted his friend with a huge smile. 

“Well someone looks like he’s ready to get married.”  She said.  “Lee’s waiting in the car, so are you ready?”   

“You bet.”  John said as he grabbed his suit and the rest of his luggage.   

Clara had picked a venue about thirty minutes just outside of London, called Lovekyn Chapel in Kingston.  She had gone to look at it with Amy and called him that night so excited about it, that there was no way he could say no, so he told her to book it despite not seeing it.  He didn’t need to because all that mattered was that Clara loved it.  The location meant that most of the guests had to get hotel rooms, so they were able to book a block at a near-by Hilton.  John and Clara would have one of the suites, which is where Clara was going to get ready before the ceremony and John would get ready in Lee and Donna’s room.   

The drive didn't take long and when they arrived at the hotel, Lee checked them in while John was doing his best to not get recognized.  Donna had done really well so far at keeping the wedding out of the media, so hopefully no paparazzi would show up, but all it would take was a couple of fans to snap some photos and post them online.  Lee returned with the key and made their way up to their room, where once inside Donna gave a sigh of relief that John had made it this far without being spotted. 

John looked at his watch and saw that it was still another two hours before he could see Clara again.  He wanted badly to call her, but knew she would be busy getting ready with Amy and his sister. 

“Hey Donna, do you think you could do me a favour?”  He asked as he opened his bag. 

“Sure.”  She replied. 

“Do you think you could go find Clara and give her this?”  He said as he pulled a small box and an envelope out. 

“Absolutely.”  She answered as she took it from him.  “You relax a bit with Lee and I'll go find her.” 

\------------ 

“Aunt Clara, you look pretty.”  Heather exclaimed, as she watched attentively to the bride having her make up done. 

“Thanks Heather.  You look adorable.”  Clara answered as she smiled down at the little girl.  Clara had asked Hanna to be a part of the wedding, along with the two kids and all happily agreed. 

“I look like a princess!”  She exclaimed as she twirled in her little white dress and Clara chuckled. 

“Yes you do, but remember today is about Uncle John and Aunt Clara, not you.”  Hanna said as she placed some flowers in her daughter’s hair. 

“I know.  Can I go play with the baby now?”  Heather asked, once her mum was done. 

“You can go sit next to Aunt Clara’s gran while she is holding the baby and read them a story, but do not touch her.”  Her mother told her and the little girl ran off to show Melody and Gran one of her story books. 

“When can I go see Uncle John?”  Max asked, starting to get annoyed being around so many women. 

“As soon as you put that video game down and come here so I can put your tie on.”  Hanna said.  The boy did as he was told and let his mother finish getting him dressed.   

A knock was heard at the door, so Amy walked over to answer it.  She wanted to be sure it wasn’t John and that he wasn’t trying to sneak a peak of Clara before the ceremony.  She opened it a crack, but then opened it wider once she saw that it was Donna. 

“Come in.”  Amy said happily. 

“I bring gifts from the groom.”  Donna said as she entered the room. 

“We agreed no gifts!”  Clara exclaimed as she turned to look at Donna. 

“Well you know him, he never listens.”  Donna said as she passed the box and envelope to Clara. 

“You're telling me.”  His sister added.   

“Thanks for bringing it Donna.  How’s he doing?”  Clara asked. 

“Very excited to see you and to finally become your husband.”  Donna answered.  

“Well the feeling is mutual.  Did he say if I should open this now?”   

“He didn’t, but I want to know what he got you, so I say open it.” 

“Alright.”  Clara said as she opened the envelope first and took out a hand-written note. 

 _To my Impossible Girl,_  

 _A little over a year ago I spotted you in a pub and from th_ _at_ _moment on I've never been able to get you out of my mind.  You were just a girl that I thought I'd never see again, until one year ago today you stood across from me at a convention, smiling and nervous.  I thank the heavens for that day because I was finally able to put a name to the girl I dreamt about at night.  Thank you for becoming a part of my crazy life and taking a chance on a man who thought he'd never find love again._  

 _I know that we said no gifts, but I saw this and knew it would be perfect for you today and every day after._ _Open it now before you read the rest, if you haven't already_ _._  

Clara put the note down and opened the box.  Inside was a white gold floral designed locket with a small sapphire in the middle.  She flipped it over and saw the words ‘ _Love Always'_  engraved on the back.  She then opened it and suddenly felt her eyes start to well.  She looked back to the letter and started to read again. 

 _I know how much you wish your mum could be here today,_ _I wish that for you too, but at least with this locket you can carry her close to your heart today and always._  

 _I'll see you soon.  I'll be the handsome man at the front waiting for the most beautiful woman_ _in the world_ _to join him._  

 _Love always,_  

 _John_  

She put the letter down and looked back at her mum's picture inside the locket and smiled.  It was the perfect gift. 

“You okay?”  Amy asked as she came up beside her with a tissue. 

“I'm perfect.”  She said as she dabbed her eyes, careful to not ruin her makeup. 

“Good.  Now let's get you dressed.”  She said. 

“And that's my cue to leave.”  Donna said.  “I’m going to head back and make sure John starts getting ready.” 

“I’ll come with you, Donna.  This little guy wants to see his uncle and I want to have a chat with him before the ceremony.” 

Donna left with Max and Hanna, leaving Heather with Clara, Amy and Gran.  Clara walked over to her dress that was hanging on the door and couldn’t wait to put it on.  She was very excited to see John’s reaction when she walked down the aisle 

\------------- 

“What do you think?”  John asked as he stood in front of Lee. 

“You look handsome enough to marry.”  He answered. 

“Good, that was the look I was going for.”  John replied as Donna and his sister walked in with Max. 

“What, no kilt?”  Hanna asked as she walked over and hugged her brother.   

“Nah.  I did that the first wedding.  I thought a nice black suit would be better for this one.”   

“Good idea.  Go on, let me see.”  She said as she stepped back.   

John undid the button on his jacket to reveal a black waistcoat and a flash of silk red lining, very similar to the one in his costume from the show.  He specifically asked the shop for that detail, knowing how much Clara loved it. 

“Very dapper.”  Hanna said. 

“And nice touch with the red.”  Donna added. 

“Thanks.  So, did you give Clara her gift?” 

“Of course.  You made her cry.”  Donna replied. 

“Happy tears I hope.”  He said. 

“Yes.  It was very thoughtful, John.”  Hanna said. 

“Thanks.  I just know how much I wish our parents could have been here.  How much I wish they could have met Clara.”   

“They would have loved her.  I know because I love her.  She's perfect for you just as you are for her.” 

“Thanks Han.  Now enough of this emotional stuff.  Max you look like a dashing young lad!”  John said taking the attention off of him.  

“Thanks Uncle John.  I look like you.” 

“That you do, let's hope Clara doesn't confuse us.”  He said as he teased his nephew.  “Now I think I'm going to walk over to the chapel and let Donna and Lee get ready.  Want to come with me Max?” 

“Sure.”  The boy answered. 

“Alright, be sure to not let anyone see you.  Donna said. 

“Got it, disguise mode on.”  He said as he pulled his glasses out of his inside jacket pocket and put them on. 

He took Max's hand and left the room with his sister.  They walked down the hall until Hanna stopped in front of a door. 

“I'm going to make sure Heather's not driving Clara nuts.  See you in a bit and Max, be good for your uncle.”  She said as she slipped inside leaving the two. 

John stared at the door for a moment, knowing that Clara was on the other side of it.  He couldn’t wait to see her and now it was only a short time before he would. 

\--------- 

Clara stood in front of the full-length mirror as her Gran stood next to her, smiling. 

“You look so lovely, dear.” 

“Thanks Gran.”  Clara replied.   

“The dress is perfect Clara.”  Hanna added.  “John is going to love it.” 

Clara had chosen a simple but elegant flowing chiffon Greek style wedding dress with a round lace neck line and a sheer lace back that had buttons running up the middle.  There was a small train, as she didn’t want anything too long and she finished the look with a modest pearl and diamond headpiece and the necklace that John gave her, which matched perfectly.  As the women were admiring the bride, a knock came to the door. 

“Everyone decent?”  Clara’s dad said as Amy opened the door. 

“We are.  Come in and see the bride.”  Amy said as she let Dave in. 

He stepped in and couldn’t stop the smile that formed when he saw his daughter.  He also couldn’t help the tears that suddenly formed in his eyes. 

“You look beautiful, darling.”  He said as he placed a light kiss on her cheek.  

“Thanks dad.” 

“Alright everyone, let’s give Clara and her dad a moment.”  Amy said as she fastened Melody into her pram.  “We’ll meet you guys in the lobby.” 

“Thanks Amy.”  Clara said as all the women left, leaving her with her dad. 

“So, are you sure you want to go through with this?”  Dave said as he smiled at his daughter. 

“Surer than I have been about anything in my life.  I know John isn’t the man you envisioned I would marry one day, but there really is no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with.” 

“I imagined that you would choose a man who treated you right and made you happy.  A man who would love you more than anything and be a real partner for you.  There is no doubt in my mind that John is the right man for you.  Is it strange that my son-in-law is older than me?   Yes, but I wouldn’t have it any other way because I see how happy you make each other.  Your mum would be proud of the man you chose and most of all the woman you’ve become.” 

“Thanks dad.  That really means a lot.  And I know that Linda and I haven’t had the best relationship, but I’m glad that she’s starting to come around and came today.” 

“Thank you.  Now are you ready to go get married?”  He asked. 

“More than anything.”  Clara said as she beamed at her father. 

\-------- 

John was standing at the front of the chapel with Donna next to him.  It was the perfect place for them to get married and he could see why Clara loved it.  It was a small chapel that held just enough people for them to keep this as an intimate close friends and family ceremony.  Chairs with chair covers had been set up and formed an aisle up the middle where John would soon become Clara’s husband.  He couldn’t believe that the time had finally come and in a matter of minutes Clara would be standing next to him.  Who would have thought one year ago today when he bought her a drink at the pub that he would be standing here now.   

Music started to play and the back doors opened as his sister started to walk in with Max and the two walked up to the front, followed by Amy and Heather.  Once the women were settled at the front the music changed again and John suddenly felt a flutter of excitement course through him.  He first spotted Clara’s dad and then there she was.  His bride.  She looked like an angel sent from heaven.  He locked eyes with her and she with him and both couldn’t stop smiling as she and Dave walked towards him.  Once they reached the front, Dave kissed Clara on the cheek, whispered I love you, and then turned and shook John’s hand.   

"You look beautiful, sweetheart.”  John whispered as he took Clara’s hand and they turned towards the officiant. 

“Thank you everyone for being here today to witness the marriage of John and Clara.  As their family, friends, and loved ones, you have been chosen to share not just this day with them, but to ensure they have your continued support as their two lives become one.  Now by request of the bride and groom, we’re going to keep this short and sweet.” 

Everyone laughed and the officiant motioned for Clara and John to turn towards each other, so Clara handed her bouquet to Amy and then took both of John’s hands in hers. 

“Your marriage begins with the vows and promises you speak to each other today.  John do you take Clara willingly and completely, withholding nothing?  Will you protect her and give her your deepest considerations of her feelings, desires and needs?  Will you strive to keep your love flexible and adapt to changing circumstances in the marriage? And will you be Clara’s counselor, lover, and best friend, from this day forward?” 

“I will.”  John answered smiling at Clara. 

“And Clara, do you take John willingly and completely, withholding nothing?  Will you protect him and give him your deepest considerations of his feelings, desires and needs?  Will you strive to keep your love flexible and adapt to changing circumstances in the marriage? And will you be John’s counselor, lover, and best friend, from this day forward?” 

“I will.”  Clara said as a tear began to run down her cheek.  John put his hand into his pocket and took out a handkerchief to wipe it away. 

“John and Clara, by coming here today you have now taken the initial step in what hopefully will be a wonderful and lasting life together.  Understand, that a union between two people takes work.  Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither is a relationship ever complete. It needs constant nurturing.  A good marriage is one that fosters respect, a devoted love, and a willingness to make sacrifices for each other.  These are the foundation blocks of a newly formed union.  Symbolically you have been brought together as one, yet are still two separate entities with unique ideas, talents and ways of being.  Respect and value those differences, and your relationship will flourish.  Now, both of you repeat after me.”  The officiant then read the vows for them to say. 

“Clara, I take you to be my wife, to share with you the laughter, to kiss away the tears, and to give you all the love in my heart, as long as we both shall live.”  John said staring deeply into Clara’s eyes and in that moment, there was no one else in the room with them. 

“John, I take you to be my husband, to share with you the laughter, to kiss away the tears, and to give you all the love in my heart, as long as we both shall live.”  Clara said as once again a tear slid down her cheek.  John leaned forward and kissed it away. 

“John, we haven’t got to the kissing the bride part yet.”  The officiant said. 

“Sorry, but I just promised I would kiss away her tears.”  John answered and the guests laughed. 

“Well, I’m glad to see you’re taking them seriously.  Now, do you have rings to exchange?” 

Max stepped forward and handed the officiant the rings that he had been tasked to hold until this moment. 

John took Clara’s ring and placed it on her finger as he repeated the words from the officiant. 

“I give you this ring as a symbol of my love, my eternal faith and undying devotion.” 

Clara then took John’s ring and placed it on his finger repeating the same words. 

“May these rings remind you that your love, like the sun, warms all that it touches, like the moon, brightens up the night, like the eye, is a gateway to your innermost soul.  And your love, like the arms that embrace you, makes everything right with the world.”  The officiant said. 

“Clara and John, you came here today, in the presence of family and friends, to express your love for, and commitment to each other.  Your lives are forever changed.  Now, you can face your fears, for you each will be strength to the other. Now, you can brave the wind, for you each will be shelter to the other.  Now though you are two bodies, there is one life before you.  And there, in that life, may you always find love.  It is my pleasure to announce you as husband and wife.  Now, John, you may kiss the bride.” 

John wrapped his arms around Clara and leaned forward, capturing her lips with his in their first kiss as husband and wife.  The guests clapped and cheered, but neither of them could really hear it as they were so caught up in each other.  They finally parted and the officiant guided them over to the side to sign the paper work, before bringing them back to the front. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, let me be the first to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Clara and John Smith.” 

The couple couldn’t stop smiling as they walked out of the chapel, their family and friends cheering them on.  Once they got outside John looked down at Clara and kissed her again.  He thought his heart would explode with the amount of love he felt right now.  Their moment alone, didn’t last long as they were soon joined by their guests, who offered their congratulations before heading off towards the cocktail party while John and Clara took some photos with family and then by themselves. 

The photographer finished with them and went off to get some shots of the guests enjoying the party, which finally allowed the bride and groom to have a moment to themselves. 

“You look so handsome, John.”  Clara said as she ran her hand down his tie. 

“Thanks, but I don’t look as good as you do.  You are absolutely stunning and I’m the luckiest man alive to call you my wife.”  He placed a soft kiss on her lips as she giggled. 

“I think I’m going to need some time to get used to being called your wife.”  She said. 

“Well good thing we have the rest of our lives to do that.”  He took her hand as they slowly walked through the garden towards the reception site.  “So, did you like my gift?” 

“Oh my gosh John, yes!”  She exclaimed as she stopped walking and looked down at her locket.  “It’s perfect.” 

“I’m glad.  I know that we said no gifts, but when I saw it, I knew I wanted you to have it.” 

“Well, actually it turns out I got you a gift too.”  Clara said.  “But you’re going to have to wait about 7 to 8 months to see it.”  

“Oh, you didn’t have to get me anything sweetheart.  But why do I have to wait so long to see it?”  He questioned. 

“Well it’s going to take that long for it to be ready.”  She answered smiling and looking down at her belly. 

It took John a moment to catch on, but then it finally hit him from her look. 

“Clara!  Are you telling me you’re pregnant?” 

“Yes.”  She nodded and smiled at him. 

“How?  When?”  He said completely shocked. 

“Well I’m pretty sure you know how babies are made.”  She answered. 

“But you’re on the pill.” 

“I went off it after your sister’s visit.  When I saw you with the kids, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to have a family with you and I knew that I wanted that sooner rather than later.  I just really didn’t think it would happen the night we moved into our house.” 

John scooped Clara up in his arms and spun her around before putting her back down again. 

“That is the greatest gift you could have given me and us.  When did you find out?” 

“This morning.  I got sick this morning when I smelt some bacon.  I then did the math and realised that I was late.  Luckily Amy had some tests, so I took one.  Had to make her promise to keep her mouth shut.” 

John laughed and pulled Clara in for another hug.  “Wow, we’re going to be parents!” 

“I know.  Terrifying!  I think we may need to take Melody out to get some practice.”  Clara chuckled.  

“Who would have thought one year ago today you could barely speak to me and now we’re married and going to become parents.  I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us Mrs. Smith.” 

“Me too, John Smith, starving artist from Glasgow.”  She smiled at him repeating the line he used to get her to calm down that night in the pub.  “Best decision I ever made was going to that convention.” 

John took her hand in his, bringing it up to his lips and placed a soft kiss on it before the two walked off towards the reception to join their guests.  Towards their future full of so much wonder and possibility.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who has read this story from the beginning. What started as a short story idea, grew into so much more. I never thought this story would be this long or that anyone would read it. I have appreciated all the feedback people have provided throughout, it has been a great journey. This is not the last of John and Clara, as I hope to return at Christmas with an epilogue. This may have been my first story, but it definitely won't be my last since I'm already working on another story. I will leave you all with this picture I made of our happy couple.
> 
>  


	58. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading my little adventure of John and Clara. Click the link below if you'd like to read the epilogue and find out what happened to these two after the wedding.

[Epilogue Chapter - Merry Christmas Baby](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17113553)


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